Royal cake with meringue

Turn on the oven at 200 degrees to warm up. While we are preparing the dough, we put the peeled walnuts in the oven to fry. Softened butter at room temperature is beaten with a mixer until the volume increases and the mass whitens. Add regular and vanilla sugar to the butter. Beat the mass again until all the sugar is dissolved in the oil.

Separate the yolks from the whites. Gradually add the yolks, 1-2 pieces at a time, to the oil mixture, without stopping beating the mass with a mixer. The proteins are immediately divided into three plates (2 for 2 proteins and 1 for the remaining 3 proteins) and temporarily left aside.

Pour the milk into the oil mixture, stir a little with whisk without whipping, so that the liquid does not spray, then whisk at high speeds until evenly combined. The mass should become smooth and completely homogeneous.

Sift the flour into a separate bowl, combine with baking powder and add to the oil mixture in several stages. We mix each portion with a spatula until smooth, the mixer is no longer used here.

Thomas for baking cakes is lined with parchment, smeared with butter on the sides and sprinkled with flour. If possible, bake three cakes at the same time. We conditionally divide the dough into three parts, put it in three forms. If we bake in turn, we spread one part of the dough, the rest are temporarily set aside.

The corollas are well washed and wiped so that not a drop of fat remains on them, otherwise the proteins will not climb. Citric acid is diluted with water. Beat the first portion of two proteins to a fluffy foam, add a teaspoon of water with citric acid and continue to beat.

As soon as the mass becomes smooth and shiny, add powdered sugar at the rate of 50 grams per 1 protein. When the whipping process is completed, we spread the protein mass on top of the dough in a mold and distribute it evenly. Sprinkle a third of the nuts on top, slightly crushed with your hands and send them to the preheated oven.

Stand at 180 degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce to 100 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes. In the same way, bake the second cake.

For the third cake, which will be the top, we leave 3 proteins, 150 grams of powdered sugar and the most beautiful nuts. We spread the protein layer, forming curls with a spatula and decorate with nuts. Bake the third cake immediately at 100 degrees, increasing the time to 80 minutes so that the cake retains its shape.

While the cakes are being baked, we prepare the cream. Pour 400 ml of milk into a saucepan, add sugar and put on fire. In a separate bowl, combine the butter with the remaining milk and beat with a mixer. Add starch and whisk until smooth. Warm up the milk well, but do not bring it to a boil. Pour the milk in a thin stream to the egg mixture.

Return the egg-milk mixture back to the fire and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until thick, add cognac in the process, stir without ceasing. When the cream has reached the desired density, we transfer it to a deep bowl and, stirring constantly, cool it to a warm state. Cover with a film and send it to the refrigerator for complete cooling.

Beat the softened butter until the volume increases and it turns white. Add the cooled custard in small portions and whisk constantly. Thus, we introduce the entire custard base and bring the cream to uniformity.

Lubricate the bottom cake with cream, spread the cream, then the second cake, layer with cream and carefully place the third. The cakes are not pressed down much, so as not to violate the integrity of the meringue. Cover the sides of the cake with cream.

Leave the cake to infuse in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, then serve it to the table.

Bon appetit!