Gateau Bigarreau Recipe

Method Set oven at moderate (350°F).
Grease pan; line base with a circle of wax paper, and grease this also.
Sprinkle pan with sugar, then with flour.
For the cake: in a bowl, beat eggs lightly with a rotary beater and gradually add sugar.
Stand bowl over a pan ot hot water and beat steadily until mixture is thick and leaves a ribbon trail when the beater is lifted; beat until cool.
If using an electric beater, no heat is necessary.
Fold in flour in 3 portions.
Turn mixture into prepared pan and bake in pre- heated oven for 25 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.
Meanwhile pit cherries.
Put jam and jelly into a pan with water, simmer gently until smooth, then strain and cool.
Fold praline into heavy cream, whipped until it holds a soft shape, or into the pastry cream.
When cake is cool, split it into 2 layers and sandwich the halves with praline cream.
Brush the top and sides with glaze and arrange cher- ries to cover top of cake.
Brush top and side again thickly with slightly warm glaze and press the extra praline or almonds around sides of cake.
To make praline, gently heat equal quantities of unbalanced almonds and sugar in a small heavy pan.
When sugar is a liquid caramel, stir carefully with a metal spoon to toast nuts on all sides.
Turn out onto a greased pan and leave to set.
When cold, crush praline with a rolling pin, or put through a rotary nut grater.