Ingredients

•   plain flour, for dusting
• 4 eggs, separated
• 175g/6oz icing sugar, sifted
• 1 orange, finely grated rind only
• 1 lemon, finely grated rind only
• 75g/3oz ground almonds
• 25g/1oz ground rice or fine semolina
• ½ tsp salt
• 450-675g/1-1½lb strawberries, hulled and halved lengthways
•   caster sugar, for sprinkling
• 175g/6oz demerara sugar
• 150ml/¼ pint fresh orange juice
• 2 lemons, juice only

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm/9in ring mould tin and dust with flour. Place the egg yolks in a bowl and the whites in another. Sift the icing sugar on to the yolks, then whisk together until light and fluffy. Whisk in the orange and lemon rind, ground almonds, ground rice and three tablespoons of warm water.
2. Whisk together the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites, then pour into the prepared mould. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
3. When cool, gently ease the inside and outside of the ring with a palette knife and invert the sponge on to a plate. Give the tin several taps to loosen the sponge, if necessary.
4. Make the citrus syrup: place the demerara sugar in a pan and strain in the orange and lemon juice through a sieve. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly, without stirring, for 2 minutes.
5. Spoon the hot syrup slowly over the sponge until it has all been absorbed, then leave until cold. Fill the centre with the strawberries and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Notes