Sans Rival
Sans Rival is a decadent cashew meringue cake. Layers of light and chewy toasty cashew meringue filled with rich and creamy rum buttercream. A popular and classic dessert from The Philippines.
Special Equipment
- oven
- Stand Mixer, whisk and paddle beater
- Baking Sheets/Cookie Trays - 2 x 30cm x 44cm (12 x 17.5 inches) or 4 x minimum 20cm x 2ocm (8 x 8 inches)
Ingredients
Cashew Meringue Layers
- 6 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 220 grams (1 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 160 grams (1 cup) roasted and crushed unsalted cashews
Rum Buttercream
- 6 egg yolks
- 165 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 60 mls (¼ cup) water
- 200 grams unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
Instructions
Cashew Meringue Discs
- Pre-heat oven 150°C (300°F) or 130°C (270°F).
- Line baking trays with baking paper. Use 2 or 4 baking sheets/trays depending on their size. Using a food-safe marker trace 18cm (7 inches) circles on the baking paper. Space the circles 5cm (1.5 inches) apart.
- Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of stand mixer (use the large one if you have two bowls). Using whisk the attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Continue whisking the egg whites on medium-high speed, adding heaped spoons of sugar one at a time. Make sure to whisk well after each addition. This will take roughly 10 - 12 minutes.
- Once all sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy whisk in the vanilla.
- Remove bowl from stand mixer. Using a spatula fold in crushed cashews until combined.
- Use a smudge of meringue in a couple of places on your baking tray. Place the prepared baking paper on top. The smudges of meringue will secure the baking paper while spreading out your meringue discs. Make sure the side you have drawn your circles on is facing down on the tray.
- Place four even mounds of cashew meringue mixture in the middle of each circle on the baking paper. Carefully spread the mixture to form discs as per the ones drawn on your baking paper. Make sure the discs are smooth and level.
- Bake meringue discs in the oven for 35 minutes or until they are crisp on top and lightly golden.
- Once cooked remove from oven and leave the baking sheets/trays to cool on wire racks for 5 minutes.
- Then remove baking paper and meringue discs from the baking sheets/trays. Using a palette knife carefully run this between the meringue discs and baking paper. Remove discs from paper and place on wire racks to cool completely.
Rum Buttercream
- Place egg yolks in the bowl of your stand mixer (use the small bowl if you have a choice). Fit the whisk attachment to you mixer.
- Place sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir with a spoon over low heat until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Stop stirring and if using a thermometer that attaches to your saucepan, attach it now. Bring sugar mixture to the boil and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 110°C (230°F).
- While your sugar mixture is coming to temperature whisk egg yolks on high speed until they thick, creamy and a paler yellow.
- Once the sugar mixture reaches temperature remove from the stove and leave to cool until it stops bubbling.
- Have the stand mixer running at high speed, still with the whisk attachment, slowly pour the sugar mixture in a slow steady thin stream into the eggs. Once all the syrup has been incorporated continue to whisk of a medium speed until the mixture has cooled to room temperature (between 5 - 10 minutes)
- Once the egg mixture has cooled remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle beater.
- Continue mixing the sugar egg mixure on medium speed. Add a cube of butter and mix well until completely incorporated into the mixture. Continue to do this with the rest of the butter, one cube at a time.
- Once the mixture is smooth and creamy beat in the rum and salt.
Sans Rival Assembly
- Importantt Note: You will need to assemble the sans rival on the cake stand or serving dish you will use to present the cake. Keep in mind that the cake needs to be placed in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Be aware of the space you have in the fridge. If you want to present it on a cake stand, but lack room for it in the fridge, assemble on a plate that compliments and can be placed on top of your cake stand.
- Place a meringue disc on your serving plate/cake stand. Spread one quarter of the rum buttercream on top of your meringue disc. Place another meringue disc on top of the one spread with rum buttercream. Continue to do this with all 4 meringue discs. The top meringue disc will also be topped with buttercream.
- Decorate with extra crushed cashews and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Notes
SCALING THE RECIPE
Do not scale this recipe, make as per directions and quantity.
LEFTOVERS
Firstly, you will be lucky if there are leftovers. If you do, then lucky you as this cake keeps exceptionally well in the fridge. I have happily snacked on a piece a week after it was made.
In fact, this cake tastes better after it has had a little fridge time. I always make it the day before serving, and thoroughly enjoy any leftover sans rival for a few days after.
For storage of leftover cake. Cover it well in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container.
GENERAL COOKS' NOTES
All oven temperatures are for a conventional oven, if using fan-forced lower the temperature by 20 Deg C (70 Deg F).
All measurements are Australian tablespoons and cups. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified;
1 teaspoon equals 5ml
1 tablespoon equals 20 ml
1 cup equals 250ml
4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon I use the below unless specified in my recipes; Herbs are fresh
Vegetables are of a medium size
Eggs are roughly 60 grams in weight (large)
1 tablespoon equals 20 ml
1 cup equals 250ml
4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon I use the below unless specified in my recipes; Herbs are fresh
Vegetables are of a medium size
Eggs are roughly 60 grams in weight (large)
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 34mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 1gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 546IUCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram or Twitter @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles