Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 6 eggs (separated)
• 150 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• 0.5 lemon (unpeeled)
• 0.5 orange (unpeeled)
• 120 g flour
• 0.5 tsp Baking powder
• 40 g peeled almonds (ground)
• 4 tbsp orange liqueur
• 0.5 l milk
• 0.5 Vanilla pod
• 50 g white couverture chocolate
• 3 egg yolks
• 50 g sugar
• 60 g cornstarch
• 250 g softened butter
• 100 g powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp apricot jam
• 200 g white couverture chocolate

Instructions

1. 1.

   Melt the white couverture chocolate in a double boiler and spread thinly on a large board or work surface, letting it set.

2. 2.

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C (fan). Grease a springform pan and dust with flour or line with parchment paper.

3. 3.

   For the sponge, beat the egg whites in a tall bowl until stiff peaks form and chill. Whisk the yolks with sugar, salt, vanilla sugar, and zest of lemon and orange into a voluminous foam. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold the beaten whites into the foam, then sift the dry mixture over it. Add the ground almonds and fold quickly. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 30–40 minutes until golden brown. Let the cake cool slightly in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before cutting the base twice.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds, and combine with two-thirds of the milk and the white couverture chocolate; bring to a boil. Stir until the chocolate melts. Whisk the yolks with sugar, cornstarch, and the remaining milk, then fold into the hot vanilla mixture, stirring briefly until it thickens, then cool to room temperature and discard the pod.

5. 5.

   Beat the butter very fluffy, sift in powdered sugar, and mix in. Then spoon in the vanilla custard, folding gently.

6. 6.

   Mix the orange liqueur with freshly squeezed orange juice. On a cake plate, place the first layer, brush with some of the liqueur mixture, and spread a quarter of the vanilla cream over it. Set up a ring mold. Repeat the process and cover with the third layer. Chill for about 20 minutes to set.

7. 7.

   Remove the ring mold, warm the apricot jam in a double boiler, then thinly spread it over the entire cake and let it dry slightly.

8. 8.

   Spread the remaining custard around the cake’s surface.

9. 9.

   Use a spatula or large knife to scrape off flakes from the hardened chocolate and lavishly decorate the cake with them.