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Laskonky
Laskonky: Czech coconut and walnut meringue sandwiches with coffee butter cream
Laskonky are the chewy little meringue sandwiches in every Czech cake counter, from station cafes in Brno to the bakeries of small Bohemian towns. Two pale-gold discs of coconut and ground walnut meringue, crisp outside and chewy within, hold a thick layer of coffee butter cream. They are sweet and nutty, with the coffee keeping things grown-up, and they are naturally made without flour. A common mistake is baking them too hot, which browns the outside before the centre dries; low heat and patience give the right chew. Make the custard for the cream first so it can cool. The egg yolks in the cream are cooked until the custard bubbles. Chef's tip: spread a thin layer of the meringue on the paper rather than piping tall mounds; flat, even discs sandwich neatly.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 4 egg whitesat room temperature
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 4 oz desiccated coconut
- 2 ⅛ oz ground walnuts
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For the coffee butter cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 ½ oz sugar
- ⅞ oz cornflour
- 2 tsp instant coffeedissolved in 1 tsp hot water
- 6 ½ oz soft butter
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Whisk the 1 cup milk, 2 ½ oz sugar, 2 egg yolks and ⅞ oz cornflour in a pan over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until thick and bubbling. Stir in the 2 tsp instant coffee, cover the surface and cool completely.
6 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 275°F (250°F fan) and line 2 trays with baking paper. Draw 24 circles 6 cm wide on the paper, then turn it over.
5 minStep 3: Whisk the 4 egg whites with the 1 tsp lemon juice to soft peaks, then add the 7 oz caster sugar a spoon at a time and whisk for 5 minutes, until stiff and glossy.
8 minStep 4: Gently fold in the 4 oz desiccated coconut and 2 ⅛ oz ground walnuts until just combined.
2 minStep 5: Spread or pipe the meringue into the circles about 5 mm thick, smoothing the tops.
8 minStep 6: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until pale gold, dry to the touch and easy to lift from the paper. Cool on the trays.
35 minStep 7: Beat the 6 ½ oz soft butter until pale and fluffy, then beat in the cooled coffee custard a spoon at a time until smooth.
5 minStep 8: Sandwich pairs of discs with a thick layer of cream and chill for 20 minutes, until firm. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does laskonky take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
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