(Serves six to eight)

4 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
175 g caster sugar
50 g ground almonds
25 g cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
2 small cartons strawberries
250 g cream
Toasted sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 130°C. Lightly oil two 20-cm sandwich cake tins and line the bases with non-stick baking paper. Whisk the egg whites and salt until foamy, then whisk in half the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture stands in stiff, glossy peaks.

Mix the remaining sugar, almonds and cornflour together, then gradually fold them in to the meringue together with the vinegar. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for about 50 minutes until the tops are firm to the touch. Turn the cakes out on to a wire rack covered with a clean tea towel, peel off the paper and allow to cool.

Reserve a few strawberries for decoration, then wash, hull and slice the rest. Whip the cream until it stands in soft peaks. Spread one of the cakes with a third of the cream and scatter the strawberries on top. Spread another third of the cream on to the second cake and invert it on to the strawberries, pressing it down very gently.

Use the rest of the cream to pipe swirls on the top and decorate with the rinsed and dried whole strawberries and toasted almonds, then chill until serving time.