Lemon-hazelnut Torte Recipe

How to make it

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• MERINGUE:
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• line two 17 x 11" cookie sheets with parchment.
• Using springform pan bottom as guide, trace 2 circles on each parchment sheet. Invert parchment.
• Finely grind nuts and 1 T sugar in processor.
• Beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks, Gradually add 1 cup plus 3 T sugar and beat until still and glossy. Gently fold in nut mixture.
• Spoon meringue into large pastry bag fitted with 1/2" plain round tip.
• Pipe dab of meringue UNDER parchment at corners to secure fit to cookie sheets. Starting at the center of 1 circle, pipe meringue in a circular motion to form a solid coil and fill circle. Repeat with remaining 3 circles.
• Bake meringues until dry, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Carefully peel parchment from meringues.
• Gently place springform pan bottom atop 1 meringue to 8" rounds disk. Using serrated knife, cut round pan, trimming meringue to 8" round. Repeat with remaining rounds.
• LEMON CREAM
• Whisk lemon juice, yolks, eggs and 1 c of sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly
• until mixture thickens to consistency of softly whipped cream mad registers 160 F on a candy thermometer, about 13 minutes.
• Strain lemon curd through sieve. Press plastic wrap onto surface; chill until cold.
• Beat cream in medium bowl to soft peaks. Add 1 T sugar and beat until stiff.
• Fold cream into lemon curd.
• CONSTRUCTION:
• Place 1 meringue in bottom of the springform pan, trimming
• the edges with knife to fit into pan.
• Spoon 1 1/4 c lemon cream over.
• Place 2nd meringue in pan, trimming if needed. Gently press down until meringue touches cream. Spoon 1 1/4 c lemon cream over.
• Top with 3rd meringue and repeat process. (Reserve any leftover lemon cream for another use.)
• Freeze torte overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap and keep
• frozen.)
• RASPBERRY SAUCE:
• Puree` raspberries in processor.
• Strain into a bowl, pressing on seeds with back of spoon.
• Mix in sugar and lemon juice.
• Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
• SERVING:
• Wrap hot wet towel around pan sides. Release. Transfer to a platter; run icing spatula around sides to smooth out. Arrange raspberries
• atop torte. Serve with sauce.
• (You could get a small dessert plate, then pour some of the sauce onto the plate. Place a slice of the torte on top of the sauce and garnish some raspberries around that. I would add teeny circles of lemon curd on top of the sauce surrounding the slice as well.)