Gluten Free Raspberry Dacquiose

My mother loved meringue cookies - I'm sure this would have been a dessert she would have enjoyed. This French dessert is named after a city near the south-west coast of France called Dax, thus Dacquiose. One of the great things about this dessert is that it is naturally gluten-free. Also, because it's made with layers of meringue, either whipped cream or buttercream frosting and raspberries it's perfectly light and fresh! Gluten Free Raspberry Dacquiose

Ingredients 2 cups sliced almonds  6 large organic, pastured egg whites  ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar  ¼ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt  1 ½ cups granulated sugar  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided use  ½ teaspoon pure almond extract  12 ounces fresh raspberries  2 ½ cups heavy cream – for dairy free alternative, see end of recipe  3 tablespoons powdered sugar  Mint sprig, for garnish (optional) Directions Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Draw three 8-inch rounds on parchment paper. Place them, marked sides down, on 2 baking sheets. Place the sliced almonds in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. With the mixer running, add the cream of tartar and salt. Increase the speed to high, gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the almond extract. With a spatula, fold in the ground almonds in 2 additions. Evenly spread ⅓ of the mixture onto each of the parchment circles. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until crispy. Place the meringue layers (still on the parchment paper) on a wire rack and cool completely. Reserve a few raspberries for garnish. Place 1 cup of raspberries in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the rest of the berries and stir. Let sit while preparing the cream. Beat the cream, remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. With a slotted spoon, transfer the berries to the whipped cream and fold in (discard any juices accumulated at the bottom of the bowl). Carefully peel the parchment off the meringue layers. The paper may tend to stick slightly. Just gently peel the paper away a little at a time. Place 1 layer on a serving plate and top with ⅓ of the cream mixture. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers. Garnish with reserved berries and mint sprig if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate, unwrapped, for up to 6 hours. To make dairy-free: Substitute the heavy cream with a dairy-free whipped cream substitute for a total of 5 cups whipped. A gluten free recipe that serves 8.