Fig and raspberry dacquoise

Directions

1. Prepare dacquoise layers: Heat oven to 225f. Line two baking sheets that will fit side by side on the middle rack of your oven with parchment paper. On the underside of each parchment, use a pencil to draw an 8” circle. 
2. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip egg whites, cream of tartar (or vinegar or lemon juice, whichever you’re using) and salt on medium-high ~60 seconds or until soft peaks which means when you lift the whisk up, it peaks but droops back down onto itself. Increase mixer speed to high and add sugar by the tablespoon, whisking 30 seconds before adding the next. Once all the sugar is added, scrape down the bowl. Whisk on high for ten seconds more or until thick and glossy, and the mixture has no sugar grit when you rub it between your fingers. Sprinkle almond flour on top in two to three additions and fold in gently. The mixture may deflate a bit and become looser.  Fill piping bag with the meringue mixture and snip a 1/2” opening at the tip. Pipe nut meringue onto parchment just inside your circle outlines (it will expand a bit when it bakes), then fill in the centers. You should use up all the meringue mixture for the two discs. Bake three hours or longer (can be as much as one to two additional hours depending on humidity), when meringue lifts easily off the parchment. Turn oven off and leave them to cool and dry for three hours up to overnight. Carefully lift the dacquoise rounds off the parchment when ready to assemble.
3. Prepare the whipped cream: Stir sugar, vanilla extract and crème fraiche in a small bowl and set aside. Add whipping cream into a clean (preferably chilled) bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.  Start whisking at medium speed (to avoid splashing) and increase promptly to medium-high until thick and airy soft peaks ~60-90 seconds. Gently fold in crème fraiche mixture. Fill piping bag with the cream and cut a 1/2” opening at the tip.
4. Assemble: Cut a 30” long strip of 4”-wide acetate collar. Place one dacquoise circle on cake board or serving plate. Pipe a thin layer of cream around the edge of the disc and fill in the center completely. Arrange half the figs cut-side down in a concentric circle, with the narrower end pointing inward, but leaving 1/2” border around the edge. Dot 1 cup of the raspberries amongst the gaps. Wrap the cake collar around the dacquoise layer, overlapping the ends and clipping it in place with a butterfly clip. Arrange remaining figs around the perimeter of the cake, vertically with their stems pointing upward and cut-sides facing outward, right up against the acetate collar. It may help to pipe a bit of cream behind each fig to keep it in place. Do this for each fig half until you’ve gone all the way around the cake. Fill in gaps between using the remaining raspberries and the rest of the cream. I like to make sure some of the raspberries are also visible from the outside. Pipe remaining cream over everything and place the second dacquoise circle on top, upside down so the flat side faces upward. Drape cling wrap on top to minimize drying out or absorbing odors while the cake chills in the fridge for one to two hours to set.
5. Serve: Remove cling wrap and cake collar. Sprinkle pistachios over the top and dust with powdered sugar.  This cake is best served immediately or within a few hours. If needed, it can be kept in the fridge for a day or so however, note that as with all meringue desserts, the dacquoise layers will soften over time as they absorb moisture from the cream and fruit. The cake will still taste delicious but the layers will lose some of its crunchy chewiness. Alternatively, you can bake the nut meringue in advance and freeze them, well wrapped in freezer bag (and well protected from being crushed!) for a week or two. Take out to assemble on the day of serving.