Instructions: DACQUOISE LAYER: Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Line a 12 1/2- by 17 1/2-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Combine hazelnuts and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium, slowly adding 1 tablespoon sugar. Increase to high speed and slowly but steadily add remaining sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and forms stiff, shiny peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold in nut mixture.

Spread meringue evenly into prepared pan. Bake until crisp and firm, about 60 to 75 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan and transfer to baking rack to cool completely, removing parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, cut into three rectangles; 6 by 3 1/2 inches. Place remaining scraps in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, making coarse crumbs that will later be used to cover the outside of the cake.

PASTRY CREAM: Heat the milk in a medium-size heavy saucepan until hot but not boiling. Combine sugar and flour in a medium bowl, and slowly add the hot milk. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.

Off the heat, beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Return the mixture to the heat, and boil for about a minute, stirring vigorously. Remove from the heat and continue to beat until the mixture cools slightly. Stir in the vanilla and butter, blending thoroughly. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap directly touching the surface and let it cool completely in the refrigerator. (Makes 1 1/2 cups)

GENOISE LAYER: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 1/2- by 17 1/2-inch pan with parchment paper, brush with soft butter, and dust with flour, shaking out excess.

Remove the bowl from an electric mixer. Place eggs and sugar in the bowl. Using a hand whisk, stir until mixed. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water; whisk until mixture is warm, about 3 minutes.

Transfer bowl back to electric mixer; beat with a whisk attachment on high for about 7 minutes, or until mixture leaves a trail resembling a ribbon that blends back into the surface 3 seconds after the whisk is lifted. Add lemon juice. Sift flour over egg mixture, one-third at a time, folding after each addition. Just before final third is completely incorporated, stream in butter and fold in.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake until cake tester comes out clean and cake is springy to the touch, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool in pan. Invert pan to remove cake; peel off parchment. Once cake is completely cooled, cut into three 6- by 3 1/2-inch rectangles with a serrated knife. Reserve scraps for another use.

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FILLING: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 1/3 cup water to a boil. Boil until the syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees on a candy thermometer). Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 7 minutes. With mixer running, pour the syrup into the egg yolks in a steady stream, and beat on high speed until the stream is no longer visible, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, piece by piece; beat 3 to 5 minutes, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. If it looks curdled during beating process, continue beating to smooth it out.

Dissolve espresso powder in 1 teaspoon of hot water. Add with chocolate to buttercream, beating to combine. While the buttercream is soft, remove the pastry cream from the refrigerator. Stir it with a rubber spatula until it is smooth and creamy. Add about 1/3 cup of the pastry cream to the buttercream, stirring until the mixture is smooth and well-blended. Fold in the remaining pastry cream. (Makes 4 cups)

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Trace a 6- by 3 1/2-inch rectangle onto a piece of 3/16-inch foam board (available at art supply stores). Cut out the rectangle with a utility knife. Place one dacquoise layer on the foam board and use an offset spatula to cover with a thin layer of mocha filling. Top with a layer of genoise, and another layer of filling. Continue layering, ending with a layer of genoise.

Spread the assembled cake with a thin layer of filling, covering the top and sides. Gently press reserved dacquoise crumbs onto the top and sides of cake. Using a ribbon, decorate the cake like a gift box, tucking the ends of ribbon under cake.

Cuisine: "Mexican"

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