Yesterday was my 20th wedding anniversary. I asked my husband what he wanted to have for dessert on our special day. After being together for 25 years I could predict what he would pick; either Madeleines or the nut cake his mom used to make him when he was young.
The nut cake won instantly. My mother-in-law used to make the cake with ground hazelnuts, Cool Whip and canned peaches. She gave me the recipe for the cake once, but it read like something out of a fairy tale, “a thimble full of this” and “a jigger of that,” nothing was ever written down and she did the entire thing by feel.
I have been meaning to spend a day in the kitchen with her to get the recipe written down, but for our anniversary I used one of my all time favorites, toasted almond dacquoise. It is light, which is perfect for the last days of August, and both chewy and crunchy at the same time. I toast the nuts first to give it a richer flavor and add an extra dash of salt to contrast the sweetness. Combined with chocolate ganache, freshly whipped cream, the summer’s juiciest peaches and candied almonds, it was not exactly my MIL’s recipe, but my husband declared it “perfection!” This, my friends, is why we are still married after 20 years.
Toasted Almond Dacquoise with Peaches and Cream
See me make this recipe step by step below, then head to the bottom of this post for the full recipe!
Click here for directions on making the dacquoise. Instead of making large rounds, I piped them into 3-inch circles.
To make the ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Swirl the pot so that all the chocolate is covered by the cream. Let sit for 3 minutes, then gently whisk to combine. Allow to cool to nearly room temperature.
Spread one tablespoon of the ganache over the cooled dacquoise. Set aside to allow the chocolate to set up slightly.
To make the candied almonds: click here for directions. Just replace the peanuts with the almonds. Set aside and allow the nuts to cool completely.
To prepare the peaches: You can leave the skins on if you like, but these had thick, fuzzy skins and it would have distracted from the dessert to leave them on.
To remove the skins: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Mark a small “X” in the bottom side (oposite to the stem) of the peach. Submerge the peaches and cook for about 1 minute. Remove with a Wire Skimmers or slotted spoon.
Immediately plunge them into an ice bath, which will allow the peach skins to fall off easily.
The skins should come off by just pulling on them. If not, stick them back in the boiling water for another 30 seconds.
After peeling the peaches, cut them into thin slices. Cook the peaches in the brown sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt.
Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form.
Set the chocolate covered dacquoise on the dessert plates. Cover with 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream and a few slices of peaches. Repeat with another layer of each.
Sprinkle with the candied almonds and serve immediately. We ate it with Champagne after coming home from a romantic evening spent with our sons at their back to school open house. Seemed like exactly the right way to celebrate all the years we have spent together.
Happy Anniversary Graham. I love you even more today, than I did all those years ago. Just keeps getting better!
Here is a cake I baked with my friend Sarah using the dacquoise and layering it with cream and berries. We left the nuts much chunkier and the results were fantastic. The recipe is on her blog The Vanilla Bean Blog!
Ingredients
Toasted Almond Dacquoise
- 2/3 cups almond meal 1/3 cup whole almonds, finely ground
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup egg whites about 5 large
- 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Sautéed Peaches
- 4 large ripe peaches
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- pinch salt
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
Candied Nuts
- 1 cup raw sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Toasted Almond Dacquoise
- Follow these directions for making the dacquoise. Instead of making large rounds, I piped them into 3-inch circles.
Ganache
- Bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Swirl the pot so that all the chocolate is covered by the cream. Let sit for 3 minutes, then gently whisk to combine. Allow to cool to nearly room temperature.
- Spread one tablespoon of the ganache over the cooled dacquoise. Set aside to allow the chocolate to set up slightly.
Candied Almonds
- In a large skillet mix together the almonds, sugar and salt. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar begins to melt and the nuts start to toast slightly, stirring constantly. Once the sugar starts to melt, turn the heat to low and cook until the nuts are lightly caramelized. The mixture may smoke a little, as they get darker.
- Pour the nuts onto a Silicone Baking Mat to cool. Set aside and allow the nuts to cool completely.
Peaches
- You can leave the skins on if you like, but these had thick, fuzzy skins and it would have distracted from the dessert to leave them on.
- To remove the skins: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Mark a small "X" in the bottom side (opposite to the stem) of the peach. Submerge the peaches and cook for about 1 minute. Remove with a Wire Skimmers or slotted spoon. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath, which will allow the peach skins to fall off easily. The skins should come off by just pulling on them. If not, stick them back in the boiling water for another 30 seconds.
- After peeling the peaches, cut them into thin slices. Cook the peaches in the brown sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt.
- Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form.
Assembly
- Set the chocolate covered dacquoise on the dessert plates. Cover with 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream and a few slices of peaches. Repeat with another layer of each. Sprinkle with the candied almonds and serve immediately.
Oh, now you did it again! Made me cry reading this – you two are perfection! This dessert and all the photos/stories behind it are a perfect compliment and end to your evening. I can just imagine you sitting under the pergola, enjoying another day together! Congrats again! xo J
Thanks Jen,
I miss you! I will make you your favorite dessert when you come back to visit!
xo z
Zoe, you did it again for me too! I am smiling and crying and screaming your praises as I sit on my desk and write this.
You are in one word – INCREDIBLE!
Wish Graham and you many scores of years of shared magic.
Thanks for this recipe and the stories.
Wish you a great future – full of all the epic successes you deserve and more.
Suvir
Dearest Suvir,
I have been thinking of you and how you too love dacquoise. I PROMISE next time we are together I will make it for you!
xo Zoë
too heavenly for mere words…
Beautiful Zoe! Is this recipe gluten free then? I have both a mother and a good friend with celiacs and love to find delicious things they can enjoy?
Thank you!
Hi Jessica,
It is gluten-free, so you can make it for your mom and friend.
Thanks, Zoë
Happy Anniversary to you and your husband! My post today is also about our anniversary – 21rst!! His favorite is banana cream pie so I put it in little jars for fun~
Congrats Snippets,
Happy Anniversary to you too! I love banana cream pie as well, great choice!
Cheers, Zoë
Happy, happy 20th, Zoe! And here’s to 20+ more 🙂 Gorgeous way to celebrate with this elegant dessert. And I’m smiling over the “fairy tale” version. Wonderful…
Gorgeous! I have not had a dacquoise in such a long time, your peaches and cream version are making my tummy grumble.
Happy 20th and here’s to many more sinfully delicious anniversaries!
Happy Anniversary! The individual-sized dacquoise circles are lovely, and all these layers sound delicious. A great dessert for a special occasion.
This looks wonderful, I can’t wait to try it. Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary, Zoe: great dessert for great occasion! Auguri! Anna
This looks fantastic! Happy anniversary!
Zoe, congratulations on 20 years!!! These look like the perfect way to celebrate! What a thoughtful, gorgeous treat.
Congratulations on 20 years together! Your dacquoise are gorgeous and no doubt taste wonderful!
Kedves Zoe!
Mint minden ez is egy csodálatos süti. Nyami……
Üdvözlettel Zsóka
Congrats! Happy Anniversary! 🙂
Your post is so sweet it brought tears to my eyes! Congratulations on 20 years!! Your dessert IS perfection!
Thank you all for the lovely notes! What a wild and wonderful ride the past 20 years have been. I look forward to what the next 20 will bring!
Cheers, Zoë
Congratulations for your first 20 years together. There is love and magic in your life!
Congrats on your anniversary! I just love your site! 🙂
Happy Anniversary, Zoe! This look absolutely mouthwatering!!!
I love the mini dacquoise cakes layered on top of each other! I’m planning on doing this for our Thanksgiving dessert, as this is my mom’s favorite. I did want to know though when you make the 3″ circles, does it take the same amount of time to bake as the 9″ circles in your other post (65-85 minutes)? Thanks for the great recipes, keep them coming!
Hi Kate,
So glad you will be making this, it is one of my favorites as well. The smaller version will bake a bit faster, but this can also depend on how thick they are. I would check them after about 40 minutes, but they may require more time.
Thanks, Zoe