BaumKuchen

Ingredients :

7/8 cup unsalted butter, softened
one cup sifted confectioners' sugar
7/8 cup cornstarch
five 1/2 ounces almond paste
one 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
one pinch salt
two egg yolks
6 egg whites
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
9 (one ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
two 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions :

Butter a 9 inch square metal pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom. Butter the parchment, and flour the whole pan. Position the rack of the oven to the lowest level, and preheat the broiler.
In a immense bowl, cream the butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Add in the almond paste in small chunks; beat until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Beat in the yolks after the other, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add in the sugar slowly while continuing to beat the meringue to stiff, shiny peaks. Fold the meringue in to the yolk mixture. Sift the flour over this, and fold in.
Spoon a small amount of batter onto the parchment in the baking pan. With a pastry brush, paint the batter on. You need to cover the paper , but have a narrow layer. Place under the broiler, and cook until light brown; this ought to take about one to two minutes. Brush another layer of the batter over the cake, and place under the broiler. Continue on in this way until all of the batter is used. Cold . Turn the cake out of the pan, and trim the edges tidy.
In a double boiler, merge the chocolate and the oil. Heat until the chocolate is smooth. With a pastry brush, brush side of the trimmed cake with some chocolate. Don't make it thick. Permit this to harden. Turn the cake over, and brush the other side. Permit the cake to set. Cut the cake in to 6 narrow strips, each about 1-1/2 inches wide. Brush the sides and top with the glaze, and permit to set. Store in the refrigerator, but serve at room temperature.