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To make the meringue layers, preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
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Generously butter and flour two cookie sheets.
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Shake extra flour from sheets.
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Trace three circles about eight inches in diameter on them.
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Place egg whites in a large bowl, add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.
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Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff.
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Add another 1/4 cup sugar to the ground almonds and, reserving 1/3 cup of the mixture, fold the rest into the egg whites.
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Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain (No.
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3) tip with the egg-white mixture, and pipe circles following the patterns on the cookie sheets, working from the outside toward the center.
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Smooth any missed spaces with a spatula.
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Pipe or spoon extra mixture in dollops on cookie sheets.
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Bake the meringues in the middle of the oven, rotating for even cooking, for 55 to 75 minutes, until firm to the touch and lightly colored.
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Remove from the oven and run a long, thin-bladed knife or spatula carefully under the meringues.
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If they are not firm, return to oven and check again in five-minute increments.
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Once firm, transfer them to cake racks.
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They will become crisper when cooled.
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For the orange segments, remove and mince the orange zest.
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Set aside.
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Remove as much pith as possible and carefully separate the fruit into segments without breaking the membranes.
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Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir in the vegetable oil.
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Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then dip each orange segment halfway into the chocolate, letting extra chocolate drip back into the pan.
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Place the segments on wax paper to harden.
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Once hardened, cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
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To prepare the buttercream, place egg whites in a large metal mixing bowl and set over (not touching) boiling water.
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Using a wire whisk, beat, while gradually adding sugar, until the mixture is slightly thickened and reaches 105 degrees on an instant-read or candy thermometer.
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Immediately remove bowl from the heat and begin beating the mixture with an electric mixer.
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Continue to beat while gradually adding pieces of butter.
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Beat until the mixture reaches room temperature and thickens into the consistency of stiff filling - about 10 to 15 minutes.
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(The buttercream will look ugly and you will think that it won't come together.
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Keep beating.
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It will!)
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Meanwhile, add the six ounces of chocolate and tablespoon of water to the double boiler used for the garnish.
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Let it all melt, then add the orange extract, zest, Grand Marnier and salt, and stir to blend.
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Stir in half a cup of the buttercream and beat until chocolate is smooth.
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Scrape the mixture into the bowl of buttercream and mix well.
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Refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes.
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To assemble the dacquoise, save the best meringue for the top.
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Put a small amount of buttercream in the center of a dessert plate, or a cardboard circle on a turntable, and place a meringue over it.
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Spread a generous quarter of the filling over this, making it a little thicker toward the outside.
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Gently place the second meringue on top, pushing down lightly, and spread another fourth of the filling.
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Add the final meringue layer and cover the top and sides of the dacquoise with another fourth of the buttercream.
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Crumble the reserved pieces of meringue and combine them with the sugar-nut mixture.
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Pat this around the sides of the dacquoise.
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Arrange the chocolate-dipped orange segments on top like spokes of a wheel and pipe the remaining buttercream through a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, making rosettes on the outside edge.
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Refrigerate, uncovered, until an hour before serving.
