Ingredients:
For the Cake:
8 egg whites
1 cup sugar
200g nuts or almonds
3 tablespoons flour
cinnamon
For the Cream:
4 egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar + 1 packet of vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon flour
1.5 cups milk
300g butter
1 tablespoon cognac
For Decoration:
3-4 tablespoons apricot jam
200g white chocolate
50g dark chocolate
Dry the nuts or almonds thoroughly, then grind them in a meat grinder. In a separate bowl, mix the ground nuts with the flour and cinnamon. Whip the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, gradually adding the sugar. Gently fold the nut mixture into the whipped egg whites using a spoon and a top-to-bottom motion.
Spread the batter onto prepared, greased baking paper, smoothing it into a thin layer with a wooden spatula. This batch will yield two large rectangular cakes (about 30 by 40 cm) that you can later cut into three parts, giving six smaller cakes about 30 by 13 cm—the size of the final cake. Alternatively, cut six 20–22 cm circles from the paper, divide the batter into six portions, and spread each portion onto the paper circles. Place the circles on three large baking sheets to make a round cake.
Bake the batter immediately; do not let it sit. If necessary, prepare it in separate batches. Bake in a convection oven at about 150°C (300°F) for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown, placing the baking sheets on different oven racks. Remove the baking paper while the cakes are still hot.
For the Cream:
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla sugar, then add the cornstarch and flour, mixing well to avoid lumps. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring continuously. Place the mixture over low heat and whisk constantly. Once it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Whip the butter and add the cooled mixture gradually, one spoonful at a time. Finally, add the tablespoon of cognac and whip again until well combined.
Top the cake with apricot jam and melted white chocolate, then drizzle a web of dark chocolate on top.
