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My cake is nutty and creamy, making it the perfect choice for spring and Easter celebrations.

I have created Joconde cake layers that are enriched with white chocolate and enhanced with lemon juice and zest.

You can find more torte recipes in my cookbook, *Baking in Harmony*, which is available as both an e-book and a printed copy.

In this recipe, I wanted to simplify the process by skipping the preparation of a crème pâtissière or similar cream. Instead, I chose to use a creamy mascarpone combined with my imaginative twist: pistachio praline. It’s much simpler to make than it sounds! To add some texture and crunch, I coated the entire cake with ground pistachios.

The second time, I didn’t change anything, and we all loved it. However, that doesn’t mean we should stop experimenting with our creations. The next time, we decided that I’ll make it with roasted hazelnuts, and I’m excited to try it! You might enjoy it, too.

The upcoming Easter might be the perfect occasion for this.

Indulgent Lemon and White Chocolate Torte with Mascarpone and Pistachio Praline

The cake combines white chocolate, lemon, mascarpone, and pistachio praline, offering a balanced flavour profile perfect for special occasions. Simplified from more complex recipes, the torte experiments with flavors while maintaining elegance.

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Ingredient for the cake:

• 8 large eggs                                                                                                               
• 100g caster sugar                                       
• 120g ground almonds                                  
• 120g plain flour                                           t
• 100g white chocolate chips plus ½tsp plain flour for coating                                            
• Zest of 1 lemon                                          
• 4tbsp lemon juice (one lemon)
• Large mixing bowl
• 2x 20cm (8inch) springform cake tins with removable sides

Ingredient for the pistachio praline:

• 100g sugar
• 100g pistachios, blanched and grated

Ingredient for the mascarpone and pistachio praline cream:

• 250g mascarpone
• Pistachio praline
• 300ml double cream
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Plus, 50-100g pistachios to coat the cake, blanched and grated (use food processor or a grinder of any kind) and fresh raspberries and/or strawberries for the decoration.

instructions for the cake:

If you have two cake tins, you can prepare the cake mixture all at once and divide it between the tins. Otherwise, use half of the ingredients and bake the cake layers one by one.

1. Line or butter the cake tins. Zest and squeeze the lemon, measuring the amount of juice you need. Weigh the rest of the ingredients and mix the almonds and flour together. Coat the chocolate chips with the flour mixture.

2. Preheat the oven to 160˚ C(fan).

3. Separate the eggs, placing the egg whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small one.

4. Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form, making sure not to overmix. You should stop mixing the egg whites when you can slightly shake the bowl without the foamy mixture moving. To avoid overmixing, pause the mixer periodically to check if the egg whites are ready.

5. Gradually add the sugar while still beating until it has dissolved completely. To test it, rub a small amount of the mixture between two fingers; you should not feel any sugar crystals.

6. While still using the mixer, add the yolks and beat them into the mixture until it turns pale yellow, followed by the lemon juice. Beat for a few more seconds.

7. Set the mixer aside and fold in the flour/almond mixture, lemon zest, and coated chocolate chips using only a spatula. It’s important to preserve as much air as possible, so avoid harsh beating. The best way to achieve a smooth and even mixture is to gently turn the mixture from the bottom to the top with the spatula until combined.

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cake springs away from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. If baking in batches, repeat the process for the second cake layer.

9. Let the cake layers cool completely on a cooling rack before assembling.

how to blanche pistachios:

1. Blanch only the pistachios needed for coating the cake, as this will enhance their vibrant green colour.

2. Cover the pistachios with boiling water from the kettle. Leave them for 5-10 minutes.

3. Peel off the skin by rubbing the pistachios between kitchen towels.

Instructions for the pistachio praline:

1. In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pan over low heat, melt the sugar until it reaches a golden-brown colour. Use a long-handled spoon to help the process, stirring gently to combine the un-melted sugar with the melted parts. Do not step away from the pan, as the right point of caramelization can happen suddenly and unexpectedly. The process starts slowly, but in a split second, it’s ready. If you keep it on the heat for too long, the sugar will burn, and you’ll have to start again.

2. Once the sugar has completely melted and is transparent, remove from the heat and quickly fold in the pistachios.

3. Pour the pistachio praline onto prepared baking paper to cool and set.

Instructions for the mascarpone and pistachio praline cream:

1. Break the hardened caramelized sugar into large shards and blitz the praline in a food processor into a sticky, crunchy praline dust.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the double cream, mascarpone, and vanilla extract until silky smooth.

3. Fold in the crumbled pistachio praline dust until evenly distributed.

Assembling the cake:

1. Use roughly two-thirds of the mascarpone and pistachio praline cream to sandwich the cake layers and use the rest to coat the whole torte.

2. Coat the cake with the blanched and ground pistachios by holding the pistachios in your hand and gently pressing them onto the cake surface.

3. Decorate with fresh raspberries and/or strawberries.

Enjoy!