Ingredients

•   flour, sifted
•   cream
•   egg yolks
• small pinch plain flour
•   butter
•   sugar
•   vanilla sugar
•   jam or jelly, melted but not hot
•   icing sugar, sifted
•   very strong black coffee
•   preserved cherries or halved almonds

Method

1. Whisk the mixture until it leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted. Carefully fold in the sifted flour.
2. Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake at Gas Mark 4½ (330°F) for about 30–35 minutes. Turn out carefully and set on a rack to cool.
3. For the cream filling, put the cream, egg yolks and a small pinch of plain flour into a bowl and whisk over steam until very thick. Remove from heat and whisk until cold.
4. Cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg mixture by the teaspoonful.
5. Cut through the cake once or twice and fill with the butter cream.
6. Cover the top and sides of the cake with melted but not hot jam or jelly and leave to dry, then cover with coffee icing.
7. Make the coffee icing by stirring enough very strong black coffee into sifted icing sugar to make a very stiff paste. Leave the icing to set, then decorate the top of the gateau with preserved cherries or halved almonds.

Notes