Rhubarb Macaroon Cake

Serves 8 Prep 45 mins, cook 1hr25 180 (fan 170) degrees

200g unsalted butter
375g caster sugar
3 large eggs seperated
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g sr flour
142ml soured cream
200g ground almonds
2-3 tblspn milk
1/2 tspn cream of tartar
25g chopped almonds
400g rhubarbs (yuk)
zest and juice of 1 orange
1tblspn orange flower water or contreau
284ml double cream
icing sugar

Filling :
Slice rhubarb and place in shallow layer in ovenproof baking dish, sprinkle with orange zest, juice, 50g sugar and 2tblspn of water
Cover and bake for 20-35 mins until tender Leave to cool

Cake :
Neat together butter and 175g sugar then beat in egg yolks one at a time followed by 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
Fold in 1/2 flour then the soured cream thn remaining flour, 100g groun almonds and milks
Divide between 2 23cm sandwich tins (should be buttered and lined)
Bake for 20-25 mins until firm in center

Topping:
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy and stiff
whisk in 75g sugar and continue until merangue is shiny and firm. Fold in 1/2 tspn vanilla and another 75g sugar and the 100g ground almonds

Take cakes out of oven and spread topping over the top of each cake
Sprinkle chopped almonds on top of one cake the return to oven for another 20-25 mins until topping is firm and browned to a crisp crust
Cool in tins for a few minutes then turn out of cool on arack topping side up

Once cooled, tip rhubarb into a sieve and drain into a bowl, keeping the drained off syrup. Put orange flower water and 2 tblespns of syrup in a large bowl and refridgerate. Pour remaining srup into a jug and chill

Just before serving, add the cream to teh syrup mixture in the bowl and whick to soft peaks then fold in 1/2 the rhubarb and add sugar is necessary

Sandwich cakes together with cream mix and remaing rhubarb, dust with icing sugar and serve with chilled syrup in jug

NOTE: Cake and rhubarb can be prepared up to a day in advance and kept in an airtigt tin, fill the cake up to an hour before serving