Holiday roulade

Butter an 11 by 17 baking tray, line it with parchment paper that overhangs the edges and lightly grease the paper.

Blitz three quarter cup blanched almonds with three tablespoons of sugar in a blender to a flour.

Beat three egg yolks in the mixer, gradually adding half a cup of sugar, until thickened and pale yellow.

Beat in the grated zest of one orange, half a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and the pulverized almonds.

Beat in a quarter teaspoon of almond extract, then slowly add half a cup of cake flour until just combined.

Whip three egg whites with a pinch of salt and a scant quarter teaspoon of cream of tartar.

At soft peaks sprinkle in a tablespoon of sugar and whip to stiff shiny peaks.

Fold some of the whites in quickly to loosen the batter, then fold in the rest delicately, cutting through and folding over.

Bake on the lower middle rack at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Rest 10 minutes, sprinkle a layer of powdered sugar over the top to prevent sticking, and flip onto parchment paper.

Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake up in fresh parchment, tightly but not super tight, seam on the bottom; cool completely.

Toast a hodgepodge of blanched almonds at 350 degrees F, tossing occasionally; 20 minutes was called for and 12 minutes was enough with slivered almonds in the mix.

Praline: boil three cups of sugar and one cup of water until caramel brown, salt it, add the almonds and turn it out onto a pan to harden.

The sugar crystallized on every attempt and the praline did not set properly.

Italian meringue: boil three quarter cup sugar with one quarter cup water until it hits 235 degrees Fahrenheit while whipping two egg whites to stiff peaks, then stream the syrup in.

Leave the mixer running to cool the meringue.

Scrape the praline off the pan and pulverize it in the blender and food processor.

Rum imbibing syrup: dissolve a quarter cup of sugar in three quarter cup of boiling water, then add three tablespoons of white rum.

Whip two cups of heavy cream over a bowl of ice until double its volume.

Fold a tablespoon of vanilla extract and around two cups of the whipped cream into the Italian meringue.

Fold one cup of the pulverized praline into one third of the meringue mixture for the filling.

Unroll the cake, pour on a layer of the rum imbibing syrup and sprinkle it in.

Spread the praline filling on top, leaving about an inch border, and gently roll the cake back up.

Set it seam side down on a serving dish and trim the ends.

Tuck parchment paper all around and frost the cake with the remaining meringue cream; chill in the fridge.

Top with some of the praline, then with candied cherries dried off their liquid, and remove the parchment paper.