Walnut la marjolaine with cumquats
In high school I was fascinated (briefly) by geology and how
layered rock forms strata – a snapshot of time in every level.

This cake makes me think of stratiform symmetry … but make
it moments of mind-bending deliciousness in every layer.

It’s not my invention – layers of knowledge abound in recipes
too and in those who bring them to the table over time. I learnt
this cake from Alex Herbert, whose innate understanding of
food and cooking was the bedrock of my pastry education.
Alex learnt the cake from the kitchen Titan Janni Kyritsis,
whose menus I have as treasured keepsakes. The original cake
is from Fernand Point, a twentieth-century French forefather
of gastronomy and food philosophy.

I have revised the layers a little by adding some coconut to
the meringue and have decreased the chocolate ganache to
one layer, which makes assembly easier. Janni’s crème fraîche
whip  layer is non-negotiable, making it elegantly tangy. Try not
to skip the cumquats. They are a colossal force of fruity flavour!

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Toast the walnuts in the oven for
25 minutes until they are a tanned golden brown all the way through.

Chill to cool. Keep the oven on.

Lightly spray a 40 cm × 30 cm × 2 cm (15¾ in × 12 in × ¾ in) deep
tin with cooking oil and line with baking paper to be flush with the tin
sides. It’s okay if two of the tray sides are exposed, just ensure there’s
no flappy paper that can get stuck to the cake top.

When the walnuts have cooled, whiz them in a small food processor
with the icing sugar, coconut, cornflour and salt until the mixture feels
and looks like fine almond meal. Set aside.

The sugar and coconut will help to keep the whizzed nuts from turning to a
paste, but keep a close eye. Oily nut paste will make a heavy meringue cake.

continued …
Keeps Best eaten the day of finishing,
as the walnut meringue cake softens
over time. Leftovers can be chilled in
an airtight container or wrapped and
kept for 4–5 days.

Makes Generous slices for 8–12,
or a sweet sliver for 16.

Takes Around 4 hours to make
everything, then a 4-hour chill time
to set the layers. All or some of the
components can be made the day
before assembling to shorten the time.
160 g (5½ oz) raw walnuts
cooking oil spray
90 g (3 oz) icing (confectioners’)
sugar
50 g (1¾ oz) fine (desiccated)
coconut
15 g (½ oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
2 g (¹⁄₁₆ oz/¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt
240 g (8½ oz) egg white
(from approx. 8 eggs)
4 g (⅛ oz/½ teaspoon) cream of
tartar
180 g (6½ oz) caster (superfine)
sugar
1 × batch Lazy toffee crunch
(page 273)
1 × batch German brown butter
buttercream (page 251)
1 × batch Milk chocolate (reverse)
ganache – Dark chocolate
Adaptrix (page 250)
Crème fraîche whip
150 g/ml (5½ oz) thick cream
(35–45% milkfat)
150 g (5½ oz) crème fraîche
Poached cumquats
200 g (7 oz) fresh cumquats
200 g/ml (7 oz) verjuice or
orange juice
splash of gin or Campari (optional)
120 g (4½ oz) caster (superfine)
sugar
2 fresh bay leaves