Kastanie Kuchen (Chestnut Cake)

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated
100g sugar
1 packet (15g) vanilla sugar
100g butter, softened
375g chestnut purée
1 tbsp kirsch
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
200g ground almonds
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
200ml cream
100g glacé chestnuts
75g slivered almonds

For the Icing:
165g icing sugar
2 tbsp kirsch
glacé chestnuts, to decorate

Method:

Beat the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar in a bowl with the softened butter until pale, thick and fluffy.

Add the egg whites to a clean and dry bowl, then beat until stiff. Continue beating the egg whites, adding the sugar and the baking powder a little at a time, until all the sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Mix together the ground almonds and the cornflour in a bowl. Add the ground almonds and beaten egg whites alternately to the chestnut mixture, mixing them well to combine with a metal spoon.

Whip the cream in a bowl until stiff and cut the glacé chestnuts for the cake into pieces. Mix these into the bake batter, along with the slivered almonds.

Turn the batter into a springform cake tin, the base of which has been lined with baking parchment. Level the top, then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake emerges cleanly.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and work in the kirsch. Stir these together to make a thick icing (add a little water if it's too thick [it should be just spreadable]).

Use this icing to cover the top of the cake. Garnish with the glacé chestnuts (about 11 should be enough).

Slice into wedges and serve.