Photo credit: G. Drakopoulos - Food Styling: T. Webb
For the cake:
- Beat all of the ingredients in a mixer using the paddle attachment, until a very wet, soft dough forms.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 1 hour. It will not double in size.
- Grease a 20 cm round cake pan, with no hole in the middle.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes again.
- Make sure the plastic wrap is not touching the surface of the dough since it will not allow it to rise properly.
For the caramel coating:
- Combine all of the ingredients, apart from the almonds, in a pan over medium heat. Stir well as the mixture starts to boil.
- Boil for 2 minutes until it becomes a shade darker in color.
- Add the almonds and stir.
- Line a small baking pan with parchment paper. Spread mixture in pan with a spatula and set aside to cool.
For the crème patisserie:
- Heat the milk in a saucepan. Remove from heat and pour milk into a glass. Wipe down saucepan.
- Do not place back on heat. Combine the eggs and sugar in the saucepan and beat with a hand whisk. Add the cornstarch and stir.
- Add half of the hot milk a spoonful at a time and stir until completely combined.
- Add the rest of the milk and place saucepan on heat.
- Boil for 2 minutes while stirring continuously.
- Remove from heat. Add the butter, melted white chocolate, salt and vanilla extract.
- Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap making sure the wrap directly touches the surface of the cream so that it doesn’t form a film on top.
- Refrigerate until chilled.
To assemble:
- Preheat oven to 180* C (350* F) Fan.
- Put spoonfuls of the caramel coating as far apart as possible over the cake. While baking the almonds will spread.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
- Turn out of cake pan and allow cake to cool completely on the wire rack.
- Cut the cake into 2 layers. Spread the crème patisserie on the bottom layer.
- Cover with top layer of cake.
- Cut into slices and serve.
