Gluten Free Meringue Almond Layer Cake with Chocolate Filling

Meringue Almond Layers

1. Pre-heat the oven.
2. Cut three 25cm/10” squares of parchment and use them to line the base and sides of three 20cm/8” round cake tins without trimming off the excess.
3. Spread out the ground almonds on a large oven tray and bake for 4-8 minutes until lightly toasted.
4. Tip the nuts into a bowl, add the caster sugar and cornflour and stir to combine.
5. Put the egg whites into a glass or metal mixing bowl and whisk until stiff.
6. Add the icing sugar a spoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Tip the prepared nut mixture onto the stiff egg white and, using a metal spoon, gently cut and fold the two together without over mixing.
8. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and smooth the tops.
9. Bake for 45 minutes then turn off the oven, leaving the tins inside until cold.
10. Remove the tins from the oven and holding the parchment, lift the meringue layers from their tins.

Chocolate Filling and Topping

1. Break the chocolate into squares and put them into a mixing bowl.
2. Put the cream into a saucepan and heat it gently. As soon as bubbles start to appear remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream onto the chocolate.
3. Stir until the chocolate has all melted into the cream.
4. Add the syrup, stir to combine and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
5. Divide the mixture between two of the cake layers, spreading it out to the edges.
6. Place one of these layers on top of the other and the third layer on top.
7. Sieve a little icing sugar over the top layer and serve with a jug of cream.