Tourta nougatina

Separate six eggs. Whip the whites on medium until frothy, stream in half a cup of granulated sugar, increase to full speed and whip to a thick, fairly stiff meringue.

Transfer the meringue to another bowl and add the yolks to the mixing bowl with the remaining half cup granulated sugar, one to two tablespoons light olive oil, one teaspoon pure vanilla extract and one teaspoon pure almond extract.

Start on low, then beat on high three to five minutes until pale, thick and creamy.

Whisk 200 grams almond flour, 75 grams all-purpose flour, half a teaspoon baking powder, two tablespoons cornstarch and a quarter teaspoon salt together.

Whisk the meringue into the yolk mixture a little at a time until it is all in and the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture a little at a time, incorporating each addition before the next.

Scoop the batter into three sprayed and parchment-lined eight-inch round pans one scoop at a time, smooth it and tap the pans to level.

Bake on the centre rack at 350F for about 15 to 18 minutes, until golden on top, springy, and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Run a knife around each cake to release it and cool completely.

Wrap the cooled layers in two layers of plastic wrap, remove the parchment from the back and freeze; they thaw in about 15 minutes at room temperature and should not be stacked.

For the pastry cream, heat four cups whole milk with three quarters of a cup of the sugar over medium heat.

Whisk six egg yolks, half a cup heavy whipping cream, the remaining three quarters cup sugar, 80 grams cornstarch and a pinch of salt smooth in a pitcher.

Stream the steaming hot milk into the yolk mixture while mixing continuously to raise its temperature so it will not scramble.

Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil and thickens; it thickens more as it cools.

Off the heat, stir in two teaspoons pure vanilla extract.

Pass the pastry cream through a strainer into a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap so no skin forms and cool completely; it keeps chilled two to three days.

For the simple syrup, bring half a cup granulated sugar and half a cup water to a boil, whisking, until the sugar has melted.

Off the heat stir in half a teaspoon almond extract; it keeps refrigerated up to a week.

For the whipped cream, whisk four cups cold heavy whipping cream, two teaspoons pure vanilla extract, one teaspoon pure almond extract and one cup confectioners sugar, starting slow and increasing to medium-high until thick and fluffy; stop before it separates into butter.

Place one cake layer in the centre of a cake cardboard and brush it generously with a third of the syrup, focusing on the edges.

Pipe a ring of whipped cream around the edge to keep the filling in the centre.

For the Bavarian cream, lighten some of the pastry cream with an equal amount of whipped cream, whisked together.

Fill the layer generously with Bavarian cream, add the next layer, press it down, brush with more syrup, pipe a ring and fill again.

Put the final layer on and brush it with the remaining syrup, focusing on the edges.

Ice the cake by putting as much whipped cream as will fit on top and sliding it down the sides with an offset spatula, then smoothing the sides and top.

Hold the cake over a parchment-lined tray of sliced almonds and press them into the sides by the handful.

Pipe eight to 10 whipped cream rosettes on top and set a strained sour cherry preserve, or a fresh berry, on each.

Chill the finished cake about 30 minutes in the freezer, or overnight in the refrigerator.