Macadamia & Pistachio Sans Rival (Rich Nut Torte)

       My son asked last weekend if I could make Sans Rival for our next Christmas dinner, so I thought I'd bake one today. Sans Rival is one of the most challenging Filipino torte desserts, and I hadn't made one in years, so I figured I better practice making it. (My daughter has also asked me to make Pavlova for Thanksgiving, so that will be the next one on my practice list.)

    Sans Rival (which is French for "without a rival") is a very rich dessert, made with lots of eggs, butter, sugar, and nuts, and I have yet to find a pastry chef who has attempted to make a "lite" version of this torte (or perhaps I just haven't looked closely enough). It is a bit labor-intensive to make, but well worth the time and effort the minute you bite into that first mouthful, which just melts in your mouth and transports you to dessert heaven. 

      It is also a challenge, as I've mentioned, because you have to be careful when making meringue--it is important to know that you need to start with a very clean mixing bowl, washed with hot sudsy water to get rid of any traces of oil or grease left over from previous use. I supplement this with wiping off the inside of the bowl with white vinegar and drying it completely with a clean towel, the way we used to do it in my baking class. The next thing to keep in mind is that you need to be careful when separating the egg whites from the yolks -- you cannot have even a tiny speck of yolk in your whites (not to mention a bit of egg shell), or your meringue will be a total flop.But this should not discourage you from trying this scrumptious torte--your family and friends will love you for it! 
     I have not yet found an equivalent of this dish here in the U.S., and only Filipinos, and foreigners who have lived in Manila for a few years, will know (and start to swoon) what you mean when you say "Sans Rival." 

[Note: I will add later a photo of a slice of the torte so you can see the layers inside -- I'm taking this one to my doctor, who's having a birthday tomorrow, so I can't slice or taste it right now.]

Preheat oven to 300F. Grease (use an oil spray) a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper; grease the paper all over with butter and dust lightly with flour. Set aside.

Meringue:

8 egg whites, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup roasted macadamia nuts; half finely ground, the other half coarsely ground

1 cup roasted pistachio nuts; half finely ground, the other half coarsely ground

Roast and grind the macadamia and pistachio nuts. In a bowl, mix together the finely ground macadamia and pistachio nuts (this is to be mixed in the meringue); in another bowl, mix together the coarsely ground macadamia and pistachio nuts (this is for coating the outside of the torte later). Set both aside.

To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites on high speed till soft peaks form. While continuing to whisk, add the powdered sugar gradually, spoon by spoon.  Continue to whisk until the mixture is stiff and shiny. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the finely ground nuts until well-combined. Spoon half of the mixture in clumps onto one of the prepared baking pans and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan; do the same for the remaining half onto the second pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and no longer too soft to the touch. Remove from the oven, and turn over one meringue sheet onto a clean work surface; slice into two equal pieces, each measuring 9x6 inches. Repeat with the other meringue sheet. Set aside.

Filling:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 cup butter, at room temperature

8 egg yolks, at room temperature

Make the filling while the meringue is baking:  combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the corn syrup and stir to combine. Over medium heat, cook the mixture without stirring, tilting the pan around until it starts to simmer. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter; stir until the butter is completely melted.

Whisk the egg yolks on high speed until creamy; while continuing to whisk, gradually add the still-hot syrup (in order to cook the eggs), a spoon at a time. Cool completely, or cover and chill in the refrigerator until it thickens. 

Assembling the torte:

Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of work surface; put one meringue sheet on the paper and spread a thin layer of the filling on top; sprinkle with some of the coarsely ground nuts. Repeat with the rest of the meringue sheets. Spread the rest of the filling on top and all sides of the torte. Sprinkle the nuts on top and on all sides. Refrigerate before slicing to serve. Makes a 3-layered 9x6-inch torte.