Furnicuța, Romanian poppy seed and walnut cake

Ingredients

For the walnut layer

• 4 egg whites
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground walnuts
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the poppy seed layer

• 5 egg whites
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cream

• 9 egg yolks
• 10 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons water
• 1 vial Dr. Oetker vanilla essence
• 250 g Pilos butter 82% fat

For assembling

• 2 wafer sheets 20 × 28 cm

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 20 × 28 cm pan with baking paper. 2. Beat the 4 egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until you have a firm meringue, then gently fold in the walnuts and sifted flour, using slow, upward strokes. Spread the mixture in the pan and bake for 18 minutes, until lightly golden and pulling away at the edges. Lift out the layer with the baking paper. 3. Line the pan again. Beat the 5 egg whites with the salt until stiff, add the sugar and beat until you have a firm meringue. Fold in the poppy seeds and sifted flour, spread the mixture in the pan and bake for 18 minutes at 180°C, until lightly golden and pulling away at the edges. Lift out the layer with the baking paper. 4. Put the egg yolks, sugar and water in a stainless steel bowl. Set it over a pan of steaming water and stir continuously for 10 minutes, until the cream thickens to a pudding-like consistency. I cool the bowl in the sink, set in a larger bowl of cold water, then stir in the vanilla essence. 5. Let the layers and cream cool for 30 minutes. Beat the softened butter, then add the yolk cream one spoonful at a time, beating after each addition. 6. Place a wafer sheet on a serving platter and spread with a third of the cream. Add the poppy seed layer and peel off the baking paper, then spread with another third of the cream. Add the walnut layer, peel off the paper and spread the remaining cream over it. Finish with the second wafer sheet. If the sheets are larger, trim them to the size of the layers. 7. Wrap the cake in food wrap, place a platter and a weight on top, then refrigerate for 3 hours. Trim the edges first, then cut into portions with a very sharp knife.