Esterházy slices

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 9 eggs
• 400 g powdered sugar
• 1 lemon(s), untreated, peel
• 2 pinches of cinnamon powder
• 150 g almonds (or hazelnuts/walnuts) or mixed, grated
• 40 g plain wheat flour
• 300 ml milk
• 150 g sugar
• 1 vanilla pod(s), scraped pulp (or 1 packet of vanilla sugar)
• 1 pack of vanilla pudding powder (37g each)
• 50 ml cognac, brandy or similar
• 300 g butter
• 3 tbsp jam (apricot jam or other)
• 2 tsp, heaped cocoa powder
• 8 cocktail fruits (cherries)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Total time approx. 5 hours 20 minutes

tastes good despite many calories, Austria – Hungary

The batter: Separate the eggs, place 8 egg whites in a mixing bowl, 1 egg white in a small bowl, and 3 egg yolks in a separate bowl. Lightly beat the egg whites in the mixing bowl, then slowly add a quarter of the icing sugar while continuing to beat until a thick mixture forms. Then drizzle in the second quarter of the icing sugar, the cinnamon, and the grated lemon zest, and beat until stiff, glossy, and firm to the touch (it shouldn’t run out when you turn the mixing bowl upside down). Carefully fold in the almonds (or nuts, mixed if you like) mixed with the flour. Line a shallow baking sheet (about 38×42 cm) with baking paper, spread the mixture evenly over the entire baking sheet, and bake in a slightly ajar oven (preheated to 180°C) for 9 to 12 minutes, until light brown. After baking, immediately turn out from the baking sheet onto the work surface and carefully remove the baking paper. Cut into 6 strips of as equal width as possible and allow to cool. The filling: Bring two-thirds of the milk to a boil with the granulated sugar and the scraped seeds of the vanilla pod (stirring frequently). Meanwhile, whisk the rest of the milk with the custard powder, the prepared egg yolks and just under half of the cognac until smooth. Stir this into the hot sugared milk and stir until the mixture thickens and there are no more lumps. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Cream the room-temperature butter until creamy and stir into the cooled custard. This buttercream should then be completely smooth (you may need to use a hand mixer). Now spread a thin layer of jam over the cooled dough strips. Carefully remove the first strip from the work surface (it will stick a bit and tear easily) and place it on a suitable surface (e.g. the underside of a baking sheet, serving dish or baking paper). Spread with buttercream, carefully loosen the second strip, place it on top of the buttercream one, then buttercream again, and so on until all the pastry strips and the buttercream are used up. The last layer should be pastry. Now just shape the strips (it pays off if the pastry strips are really the same width) and press them together lightly. Spread any oozing cream nicely along the sides and refrigerate the slices. The glaze: Lightly beat the reserved egg whites with a fork, mix in the remaining icing sugar (you should have about half the total specified amount left). Add the remaining cognac a teaspoon at a time until a thick mixture forms (mix 3 tablespoons of this separately with the cocoa powder and place it in a small, strong nylon bag, then set it aside for the time being). Remove the slice block from the refrigerator, slowly apply the white glaze, and spread it evenly over the surface. Decoration: Brown cocoa glaze in a nylon bag: Pierce a small hole in the nylon bag (using a rolling pin, a strong sewing needle, or something similar) and draw four even, parallel, thin stripes lengthwise across the glaze. Immediately draw lines at right angles to the glaze with a toothpick. This creates the typical Esterházy pattern “}}}}”! Now decorate with the cocktail cherries (one cherry per serving). Now simply let the glaze dry in the refrigerator (preferably overnight). Cut into the intended portions and serve! Preparation time: approx. 20 minutes. Cooking time: approx. 1 hour. Resting time: approx. 4 hours.