Japanese cake

Japoneese cake - a dessert popularly called in Variar bakery is actually a whipping cream or butter cream sandwiched between two nutty meringues. Wonder where the name came from? Actually read somewhere that its a french pastry, traditionally served chilled and some times with fruits too! Whatever it is, the Japoneese cake from Namma Bengalooru's Variar bakery is one of our favourites and tried making our own version -  turned out to be delicious at our home bakery too :)

Ingredients

Cashewnut - 1 Cup

Whipping cream - 1/4 Cup

Sugar - 4 tbsp

Brown sugar - 2 tbsp

Corn flour - 1 1/2 tbsp

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Egg white - 2 nos

Dark chocolate melted - 4 tbsp

Method

• Firstly powder the cashewnuts coarsely in a mixer.
• Keep 2.5 tbsp from the above powder aside. Roast this slightly till it turns aromatic. Keep it aside.
• Add the brown sugar, corn flour to the coarsely ground cashew in the mixer and further pulse it. Again this has to be mixed well but not fine powder.
• Take egg whites in a bowl, add salt and whisk it using an electric mixer. 
• To this add the sugar slowly and continue whisking. The consistency is very important here.
• Whisk until the meringue turns out glossy and soft peak.
• Transfer this into a mixing bowl, to this add Vanilla essence and mix well using a spatula.
• To this add the cashew powder in batches and mix it well in cut and fold method.
• Do not over mix the meringue here. Do it gently to make sure no lumps are formed.
• Transfer this into a piping bag. Prepare the baking tray with butter paper on it.
• Now, swirl the above mixture to form cookie shape. Space it well so that when baked has enough space to expand.
• Now, preheat the oven at 160deg centigrade for 10min. Bake these cookies for about 20-25mins.
• Once done, separate the cookies from the baking sheet onto a tray/plate and let it cool.
• Next, whisk the chilled whipping cream in a bowl using an electric mixer until sharp peaks appear.
• Fill this into a piping bag.

Sandwiching the cream

• Spread the cream which is in the piping bag onto the cookie. Start from the centre of the cookie and go around swirling until the edge of the cookie. You can do as many layers as you wish. Then place another cookie on this cream and press it slightly. 
• Roll this prepared cookie in the roasted cashew-nuts so that the edges are coated well.
• Add a blob of chocolate on the top!

Enjoy the mouthwatering JapOnese cake!!