Strawberry Apple Cream Torte with Pistachios

For the cake, separate eggs and beat whites with salt and 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff. Beat egg yolks with remaining sugar and 3 tablespoons lukewarm water until creamy, about 5 minutes. Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture. Mix flour and baking powder, sift over egg mixture and fold in with a whisk.

Line bottom of springform pan with parchment paper, spread batter in pan and bake in oven preheated to 175°C (approximately 350°F) for about 25 minutes. Remove cake from pan and let cool.

For the filling, rinse and hull strawberries, pat dry and cut into thin slices. Peel apples and grate coarsely. Mix apples, lemon juice and vanilla sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.

Soak gelatin sheets in cold water and dissolve while dripping wet in the apple mixture. Beat cream until stiff and fold into apple mixture.

Cut cake twice horizontally into three layers. Heat currant jelly and stir until smooth.

To assemble torte, place bottom cake layer on a plate and set springform ring around cake. Place a layer of strawberry slices on cake and sprinkle with jelly. Top with a second layer of strawberry slices and spread about half of the apple mixture over strawberries. Repeat layering, finishing with the top cake layer on top of torte. Refrigerate torte for about 3 hours.

To decorate, rinse and hull strawberries, cut in half and pat dry. Separately melt white and dark chocolate over warm-water baths and place in separate small freezer bags. Cut tiny corners from the freezer bags and pipe chocolate decorations onto strawberries to resemble ladybugs.