Ponche segoviano — marzipan-covered cake

Heat the oven to 180 °C. Butter and line a 35 × 20 cm rectangular tin. Separate the eggs and reserve 3 yolks for the cream. Whisk the 3 sponge whites to stiff peaks and separately reserve the white needed for the cream and the white needed for the marzipan. Beat the 6 yolks with the cornstarch for about 6 minutes and fold in the whipped whites.

Fill the tin, stand it in a dish of hot water and bake for about 20 minutes until set and springy. Cool for about 30 minutes.

Wash the lemon and peel off the yellow zest. Heat 250 g sugar, 250 g water and the peel, covered, for about 7 minutes until dissolved. Remove the peel and cool.

Mix the reserved yolks with 1 white, the cream’s 125 g sugar and 50 g water. Whisk gently over a water bath until thick. Spread in a shallow dish, cover the surface and cool, then refrigerate.

Mix the almonds with 250 g icing sugar. Add 1 white and the reserved 15 g water. Knead into a pliable paste. Cover and chill while the sponge and cream cool.

Unmould the cold sponge and split horizontally. Brush the cut faces with syrup. Spread the cold cream on the base and replace the top. Roll the marzipan between sheets of baking paper and wrap around the cake. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Dust with the finishing 20 g icing sugar and lightly caramelise with a kitchen torch just before serving.