Almond meringue layer cake with praline buttercream

Trace three hearts of around eight inches on silicone baking mats.

Measure the almond flour and the fine sugar onto wax paper and work out any lumps with the fingers.

Sieve the cornstarch over and mix it through with a rubber spatula.

Beat the egg whites from slow up to the foamy stage.

Add the cream of tartar and salt, increase the speed, and at soft peaks add the sugar; beat on fast to stiff peaks.

Beat in the almond extract and vanilla extract.

Off the stand, fold in about a quarter cup of the almond sugar starch mixture, then the rest, rapidly but gently, without deflating the whites.

Pipe the meringue in a three eighths inch line, a thumb wide and half an inch high, around and then filling each traced heart; smooth the tops lightly with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven 40 minutes to dry out, not to puff or change shape; they colour lightly.

They are done when they push loose from the baking surface. At 40 minutes they were still soft in the centre and stuck, so they went back to a total of an hour and a half, which firmed the centres and let them peel off.

Boil the raw almonds one minute, drain and rinse cold, squeeze the skins off, dry them.

Roast the almonds at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing once.

Cook the sugar and water from cloudy to clear, boil a couple of minutes until the bubbles are heavy and thick and it turns caramel brown.

Add half a cup of almonds, kill the heat, swirl, and turn out onto an oiled pan; leave 20 minutes to cool and harden.

Grind the hardened praline fine in a food processor.

For the creme anglaise, beat the sugar and egg yolks in a saucepan several minutes until thick and pale yellow, then beat in the hot milk in a thin stream of droplets.

Cook over moderate heat with a wooden spoon, without letting it simmer, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon; take it off at once and beat a minute to cool it.

Scrape the custard into the mixer bowl and beat in the chilled butter a couple of slices at a time on medium until smooth and glossy, like a thick mayonnaise.

Beat in the rum and the vanilla extract, stopping before it turns grainy; a little more butter smooths it if it does.

Melt the unsweetened chocolate, stir a quarter of the buttercream into it and refrigerate that for the top.

Stir the ground praline into the remaining buttercream; chill it until it holds its shape.

Trim the meringues with a small sharp knife so they line up.

Spread a third of the praline buttercream over each meringue layer, stacking them, and finish with the last of it on top; chill.

Spread the chocolate buttercream evenly over the top and press the crushed toasted almonds against the sides; chill.