Lemon Buttercream Torte

For the dough, caramelize sugar until golden brown. Stir in almonds and pour caramel on a greased baking sheet. Allow to cool. Break almond brittle into pieces, place in a freezer bag and crush finely with a rolling pin. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons hot water with a hand mixer until thick and frothy (about 8 minutes). Melt butter. Mix flour and starch and sift into egg mix along with brittle, then stir in melted butter. Line the bottom of a springform pan 26 cm (approximately 10 inches) in diameter with parchment paper. Pour in dough and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C (approximately 350°F for 35–40 minutes. Remove pan bottom and let cool for 10 minutes in mold. Then loosen from mold and cool on a cake rack lined with parchment paper.

For the lemon buttercream, zest and juice two lemons. Mix lemon juice, zest and 125 ml (approximately 1/2 cup) of white wine. Mix in egg yolks, 1/2 of starch and sugar. Mix in remaining wine and 80 grams (approximately 1 cup) of sugar and boil. Add remaining starch, stir and bring to a boil again. Place pudding mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool down.

Beat egg whites and sprinkle in remaining sugar. Whip butter until creamy. Stir lemon pudding vigorousl, then stir into butter. Finally, fold in egg whites.

For the garnish, roast pine nuts and let cool. Cut torte twice crosswise. Place bottom tier on a cake plate and spread with half of lemon jelly. Top with 4 tablespoons of lemon cream. Place middle tier of torte on top and spread with remaining lemon jelly, then spread with 4 tablespoons of lemon cream. Replace top tier of torte. Put 3 tablespoons of cream into a piping bag with a thin point and set aside. Cover cake with remaining cream. Press pine nuts around cake edge and let sit for 30 minutes.