Coffee Sans Rival

Coffee Sans Rival

This recipe is my contribution to The New Filipino Kitchen Cookbook released in September 2019. Sans Rival (no rival) is a Filipino dessert made up of layers of meringue, buttercream, and cashews. This recipe was also featured in Aperitif Magazine Norway.

A rich and indulgent Filipino dessert, coffee sans rival is made with delicate layers of crisp cashew meringue, silky coffee buttercream, and crunchy toasted nuts. Each bite delivers a beautiful contrast of textures—light and airy, creamy and buttery, with a deep coffee flavour running through every layer. Finished with a coating of chopped cashews, this elegant cake is both nostalgic and luxurious, perfect for celebrations or as a show-stopping dessert.

Coffee Sans Rival

Coffee sans rival—layers of cashew meringue and coffee buttercream, rich, nutty and indulgent.

Author
RoniB's Kitchen
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings
6
Category
Dessert
Cuisine
Filipino

Ingredients

  • 15 egg whites
  • 350 grams caster sugar
  • 250 grams cashew nuts finely chopped
  • 1 tsp coffee essence
  • 3 tbsp butter softened for greasing the baking sheet
  • all-purpose flour for the baking sheet
  • 250 grams unsalted butter
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 70 grams caster sugar
  • 80 ml water
  • 2 teaspoon coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water
  • 100 grams cashew nuts coarsely chopped

Directions

  1. Heat up the oven to 180C.
  2. Grease baking sheets with softened butter.
  3. Line with greaseproof paper.
  4. Grease again and sprinkle flour on top. Set aside.
  5. Measure all your ingredients.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until fine bubbles appear.
  7. Gradually add your caster sugar while beating the egg whites continuously.
  8. When all the sugar has been added- beat until stiff peak appears.
  9. Gently fold in the cashew nuts and the coffee essence.
  10. Divide your egg white mixture among your baking sheets - spread thinly using a palette knife (you may have 4-6 sheets).
  11. Bake in the oven until lightly brown about 25-30 minutes.
  12. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks completely cool before cutting or shaping.
  13. Cut your butter into cubes.
  14. Dissolve sugar in water in a coated pan and heat over low fire until the sugar is completely dissolved and threadlike inconsistency.
  15. Beat your eggs until frothy and light yellow in colour.
  16. Slowly add the sugar mixture into the beaten eggs.
  17. Add the butter into the egg-sugar mixture until fully incorporated.
  18. Add the coffee mixture.
  19. Cut or shape the meringue sheets to your preference (circular shapes tend to have a lot of wastage and takes longer to do).
  20. Determine the number of layers (4-6 layers is good).
  21. Layer by first laying a meringue sheet, spread buttercream, sprinkle with the chopped cashews.
  22. Repeat until all the layers are done.
  23. Cover all sides with buttercream and sprinkle the rest of the chopped cashews.
  24. Refrigerate to set about an hour
  25. Keep refrigerated at all times.
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