Festive delight: Elevate your holiday table with a refined cake

The festive season is a celebration of exceptional flavours and traditional pastries. Amongst the gingerbread and poppy seed cakes, it's worth selecting something that will capture attention and tantalise the taste buds—a layered cake with delicate meringue, chocolate cream, and preserves. Its sophisticated appearance and harmonious taste make it disappear from plates before you can serve a second helping.

No better way exists to celebrate a festive feast than with a homemade cake that pleases both the eyes and the palate. Try this delectable recipe and discover why guests simply can't get enough of it.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 220g plain flour,
• 155g butter,
• 65g icing sugar,
• 4 egg yolks, pinch of salt.

For the meringue:

• 4 egg whites,
• 200g sugar,
• pinch of salt.

For the cream:

• 480ml double cream,
• 200g bittersweet chocolate,
• 2 tablespoons butter

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Quickly knead the dough, form it into a ball, and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll it out and bake at 180°C for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the egg whites with salt until stiff, gradually adding sugar until the mixture is glossy. Spread the meringue on parchment paper and bake at 150°C for 45 minutes.
3. Warm the cream in a saucepan, add chocolate and butter, and stir until smooth. Cool, then chill in the refrigerator before whipping with a mixer into a fluffy consistency.
4. Spread the preserves over the cooled cake base, cover with a layer of cream, top with the meringue, and finish with toasted almonds.

This layered cake combines the best elements—delicate crust, velvety cream, the bold flavour of preserves, and the lightness of meringue. The pastry marries tradition with a touch of modernity, and its elegant appearance makes it perfectly suited to the festive atmosphere.