Silvanas / Sylvanas - Easy Cookie Silvanas Recipe | Amiable Foods (2024)

Silvanas or Sylvanas with creamy French buttercream filled meringue. A bite of chewy, crunchy, sweet, and salty goodness! It seems like an impossible baking feat, but it’s actually fun to make!

Are you looking for a gift idea or something to treat your family with? Then silvanas are something I highly suggest! These delicacies have been one of our favorites for as long as I can remember. We’d buy a box every time we get a chance or give them as pasalubong. Since moving abroad, I had cravings so after years of trying I finally settled on this recipe.

It’s like Sans Rival only smaller

I personally consider this delight as Sans Rival’s little sister. Unlike the Sans Rival though which is like a layered cake, sylvanas are smaller. The buttercream is sandwiched in meringue then coated with cream and grounded cashew nuts. Don’t be fooled by its size though, it’s so delicious you’ll be asking for more.

Can I only use French buttercream?

Buttercream is the beloved frosting that makes cakes and cupcakes more enticing. I can’t imagine enjoying my cupcakes without buttercream. Same goes with sylvanas, it’s a part of the delicacy that makes it so irresistible. I opted for french buttercream since it’s light and fluffy though it requires more technique to make.

If you do not fancy making French buttercream, you can make a much simpler method. To do this, beat 227 grams/1cup of softened butter until pale in color. Add 3/4 cups of sifted powdered sugar then beat again until soft and fluffy and no traces of sugar grains are left. Tip in 2 tbsp milk or whipping cream then beat until light and creamy.

How to make Silvanas

Making silvanas is so easy as long as you divide the process into three parts. Let’s start by making the meringue first. You will need the following ingredients:

• Cashew nuts – grounded
• Cream of tartar
• Sugar
• Egg whites

• Trace circles using a cookie cutter (7cm dia. / 3 inches) on a parchment paper. Leave a generous space between the circles so the meringue will not touch when baked. Set aside. Preheat oven at 180°C
• Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue whisking until soft peak. Add the sugar gradually while whisking until stiff peak and glossy.
• Fold in the finely crushed cashew nuts in the meringue in three batches being careful not to deflate the meringue.
• Transfer your meringue to apiping bagand pipe onto the prepared parchment papers. Pipe the meringue in the traces of circle on the parchment papers.
• Using a knife, gently flatten the top of the meringue. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Making the French buttercream

While the meringue is baking, you can start making the French buttercream. The following ingredients will be used:

• Egg yolks
• Salt
• Water
• Sugar
• Butter

• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Do not stir! Let the mixture boil over medium heat until the sugar melts and dissolve from the heat.
• Beat the egg yolks in a stand mixer on high speed until the mixture starts to thicken and become pale in color. Continue to beat while the sugar/ water mixture cooks in the pan.
• Check the boiling water with sugar if the mixture is thick and syrup-like. Turn off heat and slowly pour the sugar syrup in a thin, continuous stream into the yolks with the mixer still running. Do this really carefully as to not overcook the egg yolks.
• Continue beating the yolks until the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. Add the soften butter gradually then the salt while the mixer is still running and beat until a fluffy buttercream forms.

Assembly

Now to assemble everything, but first, prepare the coating and you will need:

• Finely grounded cashew nuts
• Broas biscuits

• Grate the broas biscuits using the finest setting of a cheese grater or place the broas in a ziplock bag and pound with a rolling pin until fine. Add finely grounded cashew nuts and mix well to combine. Set aside.
• When the meringue is done and cooled down. Take two cookies which are almost similar in size and grate the sides to have a nice and uniform size.
• Spread 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp of French buttercream to one of the cookies and top with another. Press them gently so the buttercream will set and run a butter knife on the side to seal.
• Coat the outside of the meringue with buttercream then dredge into the broas/cashew mixture until all sides are coated. Repeat the process with the rest of the meringue cookies. Bon appetit.

Tips for Silvanas

• If you are using salted butter, you can omit the salt in the list of ingredients.
• French Buttercream: When adding the butter to the egg yolks. Make sure that it’s totally cooled down or else the buttercream will be runny. If this happens, chill in the fridge for a few minutes and beat again to make it fluffy.
• Meringue: When peeling off the parchment paper from the meringue and it still sticks. Place again in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

The secret ingredient is always LOVE

Tries Silvanas? You might also like:

• Napoleones – Mille feuile of the Philippines.
• Taisan – Soft and fluffy sponge cake.
• Choco Banana Muffins