ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• For orange curd: Mix juices with cornstarch in saucepan until dissolved.
• Whisk in butter, sugar, eggs and yolk until smooth.
• Place over low heat and stir until mixture is thickened to consistency of thin yoghurt, 15-20 minutes.
• DO NOT LET BOIL.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and cool, then refrigerate overnight; if butter begins to separate, whisk to reblend.
• For cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F.
• Line bottom of 2, 9 inch round cake pans with parchment.
• Combine yolks, 3 tblsps sugar, liqueur, hot water, vanilla, orange zest, cardamon and almond extract in large bowl and beat about 8 minutes.
• Beat whites in a separate bowl, with clean beaters, adding a pinch of salt and another of cream of tartar, until soft peaks form.
• Add remaining 8 tblsps sugar, one at a time, and beat until meringue is quite stiff and glossy.
• Resift flours together.
• Gently fold ¼ of meringue mixture into yolks.
• Scrape yolk mixture over remaining meringue with spatula, then sift ¼ of flour over top and fold in.
• Repeat until all flour is folded in, being careful not to deflate mixture or allow any lumps to remain.
• Drizzle butter over and gently fold in using 3-4 strokes.
• Pour into pans.
• Bake until tops spring back when touched, 20-25 minutes, rotating cakes once.
• Cool.
• To assemble: Loosen cakes from pans and peel off paper.
• Turn right side up.
• Using long, serrated knife, halve cakes horizontally to make 4 layers.
• Arrange 1 layer, cut side up, on platter.
• Sprinkle with 1 tblsp liqueur; spread with 1/3 of curd.
• Repeat 2 more times.
• Top with last layer, flat side up.
• Press gently to align.
• Wrap cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Whip cream with 2 tblsps icing sugar and 2 tblsps liqueur to stiff peaks.
• Reserve 2/3s cup cream.
• Spread remaining cream smoothly over top and sides of cake.
• Spoon reserved cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip and pipe decoratively around sides of cake.
• Garnish with candied orange peel, if you wish and serve at room temperature.