Strawberry Meringue Cake

Directions

GENOISE LAYER:

Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Break eggs into bowl of electric mixer. Whisk in salt, then sugar. Place bowl over pan of simmering water.

Whisk until just lukewarm. Whip by machine until cold and increased in volume, about 4 to 5 minutes. Mix cake flour and cornstarch.

Sift over the egg foam in 3 or 4 additions, folding in with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into buttered and paper-lined 10-inch round pan and level.

Bake about 30 minutes until well-risen, golden and beginning to shrink from sides.

Unmold immediately and cool on a rack. Divide the cooled Genoise into 3 layers with a sharp, serrated knife. Place 1 layer on a cardboard or platter and moisten with ⅓ of the syrup, using a brush.

Spread with ½ the filling.

Repeat with the second layer. Place the last layer on and moisten with the remaining syrup.

LEMON KIRSCH SYRUP:

For the syrup, combine water and sugar in a small pan, bring to a boil and cool. Stir in lemon juice and kirsch.

STRAWBERRY FILLING:

For the filling, reserve 6 of the best strawberries as a decoration. Rinse, hull and slice the remaining berries. Place ¼ of the berries in a saucepan with the sugar and bring to a boil.

Combine lemon juice, kirsch and corn- starch and stir into the strawberry mixture off the heat. Return to a boil, stirring and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and stir in remaining sliced berries.

COVERING MERINGUE:

Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃) and set rack in the middle level. Combine egg whites and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk over simmering water until egg whites are hot and sugar is dissolved. Beat on medium speed until cold and risen in volume, but not dry. Spread cake with meringue.

Pipe decoration on top of cake, using a pastry bag fitted with a star tube. Press toasted, sliced almonds against the side of the cake. Place the cake on a cookie sheet and color the meringue in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cool.

Decorate with the reserved strawberries.