Kyiv cake is a Ukrainian classic of the 1950s: nut meringue, buttercream and chocolate. Nut meringue is touchy. The usual failures are layers that stick to the paper, crack, or turn soggy in the cream.
What it is made of
Top to bottom:
- Dark ganache 0.5 cm
A glossy coating
- Hazelnut meringue (Kyiv) ×3 · 1.2 cm
- Condensed-milk buttercream ×2 · 1.0 cm
Three meringue layers, two layers of cream, ganache on top.
An honest note on how this differs from the classic. The traditional Kyiv cake uses a custard-based buttercream (butter beaten into a cooked egg-yolk and sugar base), is coated in meringue crumbs and decorated with chocolate flowers. This version uses simpler buttercream: butter and condensed milk. It is sweeter and lacks the softness of a custard base. Ganache instead of crumbs and chocolate decoration is another simplification.
Order of work
Layers (the day before): egg whites at about 21 °C in a clean glass or metal bowl, free of grease. Start slowly with a pinch of salt. Add fine granulated sugar, not icing sugar, in small portions and whip until it has completely dissolved (rub a drop between your fingers; no grit). Grind the nuts finely and fold them in with the flour gently with a spatula: nut oil deflates the foam, so do not beat after adding them. Spread discs on parchment and dry at low heat, around 120 to 140 °C, until the layer lifts easily off the paper. Do not raise the heat: the meringue browns and cracks. Cool it in the switched-off oven with the door ajar to avoid a sharp temperature drop.
Cream: soft butter, condensed milk at the same temperature. Whip the butter first, pour the condensed milk into the already whipped butter and stop the mixer as soon as the colour evens out.
Assembly:
- Meringue on a plate, an even layer of cream, the next meringue.
- Put the cake in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to level it.
- Ganache: bring cream (30% or more) to 80 to 90 °C, pour over chocolate, add cold butter for gloss. Pour at around 34 to 36 °C onto the chilled cake.
Resting: 8 to 12 hours in the cold. The cream moistens the meringue and it softens and becomes tender.
What can go wrong
- Meringue sticky and chewy. The sugar did not dissolve, or the layer is under-dried.
- Layers darkened. Oven too hot.
- Cream split. Condensed milk and butter were at different temperatures.
- Ganache slid off. Poured onto a warm cake.
The verdict
Kyiv cake is decided by how dry the meringue is. Fine sugar, long whipping and low heat give a tender cake rather than a sticky one.