Walnut cake (Le Saint-Andre) with caramelized walnuts and Chantilly cream

Grind half the walnuts with half the sugar in a food processor until fine, almost like a flour; grind the remaining walnuts with the remaining sugar.

Turn the ground nuts onto wax paper, add the flour over them (the book says to sieve it) and mix well with a rubber spatula. Set aside.

Beat the softened butter in a bowl to a creamy, mayonnaise-like consistency.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the sugar, eggs, salt and kirsch on low for a moment, then on high for several minutes until pale, fluffy, doubled in volume and holding a soft peak, about seven to eight minutes in the book.

Sprinkle one third of the walnut mixture over the egg mixture and fold in delicately; fold in the rest.

Add the butter and fold together rapidly.

Butter the cake tin and dust it with flour.

Turn the batter into the tin, about two thirds full, and tilt the tin to run the batter up to the rim all around.

Bake on the middle level of a preheated oven; the book says 30 minutes, the cook baked 23 minutes.

Rest 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out and let cool.

Bring equal amounts of sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat, swirling as it turns from cloudy to clear; when golden brown, turn off the heat.

Coat the walnuts in the caramel, lift onto a baking sheet and let cool and harden completely.

Whip heavy cream over a bowl of ice and water with a little vanilla until doubled in volume; add icing sugar.

Dust the cake with icing sugar around a bowl set in the center, remove the bowl and pile the caramelized walnuts in the center.