Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg yolks with vanilla in large bowl until tripled in volume.
Gradually beat hot syrup into yolks. Continue beating until mixture is cool, about 10 minutes. Gradually add butter and beat until smooth. (If buttercream looks broken or curdled, place bowl with buttercream over medium heat on stove burner and whisk 5 to 10 seconds to warm mixture slightly. Then remove from heat and beat mixture again at medium speed. Repeat warming and beating as many times as needed until buttercream is smooth.)
Spoon ¾ cup buttercream into pastry bag fitted with small star tip (No. 1). Place 1 cake layer on plate; spread ⅓ cup apricot filling over. Spread ½ cup buttercream over filling. Top with second cake layer; spread with ⅓ cup apricot filling. Spread ½ cup buttercream over filling. Top with third cake layer; spread with ⅓ cup filling (reserve remaining filling for another use). Spread top and sides of cake with remaining buttercream. Press chopped nuts onto sides of cake.
Halve Glazed Apricots and arrange decoratively down center of cake. Pipe buttercream in pastry bag decoratively around apricots or base of cake.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at cool room temperature.Technique Tip: GenoiseThere are a number of pastry tricks at play in this cake, and one of the most important involves the genoise. Melted butter is folded into a light and airy batter to make genoise, but if the butter is not evenly dispersed it sinks to the bottom of the cake as it bakes, creating an undesirable texture throughout. To avoid this, a portion of the batter is first stirred into the melted butter, then the lightened butter-batter mixture can be more evenly incorporated into the remaining batter. Be careful not to overfold the batter, as that can cause it to deflate, resulting in a dense and heavy cake.
Dried apricots become plump and shiny in honey-sugar syrup. They make a beautiful cake garnish and a delicious after-dinner treat. Using orange blossom honey gives them a floral scent, but clover honey would work, too. For a different flavor and aroma, try lavender honey instead. Makes 20
½ cup water
½ cup orange blossom honey
½ cup sugar
20 jumbo moist dried apricots
Stir ½ cup water, honey, and sugar in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add apricots; cook until apricots are tender and syrup is reduced and thinly coats spoon, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Cool apricots in syrup at least 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Remove apricots from syrup (apricots will be sticky). Drain on paper towels to remove any excess syrup.
This cake, made of layered pistachio praline meringues and lemon buttercream, has a winning creamy-crispy contrast. It’s assembled and refrigerated a day ahead of serving so that the flavors meld. 12 servings
Praline
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 cup unsalted natural pistachios
Meringues
5 large egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Lemon Buttercream
4 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
4 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons plus ⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PRALINE: Oil large baking sheet. Stir sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan. Stir in pistachios. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared sheet. Cool praline completely.
Finely chop praline. Grind ½ cup praline to powder in processor.
MERINGUES: Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 225°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 8-inch-diameter cake pan bottom as guide, trace 2 circles on 1 parchment sheet and 1 circle on second sheet. Turn over parchment on baking sheets, marked side down. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup sugar; beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Beat in almond extract. Stir powdered sugar and praline powder in bowl to blend. Fold into meringue in 2 additions.
Divide meringue among traced circles. Using spatula, spread mixture to edges. Bake until crisp and pale golden, reversing baking sheets after 45 minutes, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Cool meringues completely.
LEMON BUTTERCREAM: Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Let stand until just cool but not set.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons sugar.
Meanwhile, combine remaining ⅔ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 238°F, about 5 minutes.
Immediately pour hot syrup in thin steady stream into beaten egg whites, beating until mixture is completely cool, about 4 minutes. Beat in butter 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat in white chocolate, lemon juice, lemon peel, and vanilla. Chill just until thickened to spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. (If buttercream looks broken or curdled, place bowl with buttercream over medium heat on stove burner and whisk 5 to 10 seconds to warm mixture slightly, then remove from heat and beat mixture again at medium speed. Repeat warming and beating as many times as needed until buttercream is smooth.)
Place 1 meringue layer on platter. Spread scant 1 cup buttercream evenly over. Top with another meringue layer. Spread scant 1 cup buttercream evenly over. Top with remaining meringue. Spread remaining buttercream evenly over top and sides of torte. Press chopped praline onto sides and in 1-inch border along top edge of torte. Refrigerate until buttercream sets, then cover and chill overnight. Let torte stand uncovered at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
The “crunch” comes from the candy—much like peanut brittle, but made with maple syrup and walnuts—that goes between the layers and on the sides and top edge of the cake. Have all of your ingredients and equipment ready before you begin making the candy, as the action happens quickly. You’ll need a candy thermometer to ensure that the syrup reaches 300°F so that it will harden to the right consistency when cooled. 14 servings