Silvanas

Step 1: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Draw 32 ovals about 8 × 5 cm on two sheets of baking paper, turn the paper over and lay it on two trays.

Step 2: Grind 5 ½ oz cashew nuts with 2 tbsp plain flour in a food processor to a fine meal, pulsing so it does not turn to paste.

Step 3: Whisk 4 egg whites with ¼ tsp cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add 5 ½ oz caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking, until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks.

Step 4: Fold in the cashew meal in two batches with a large spoon, keeping as much air as you can.

Step 5: Spread or pipe the meringue into the ovals about 5 mm thick.

Step 6: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until pale golden, firm and dry to the touch, then turn off the oven and leave them inside with the door ajar for 20 minutes. They should peel off the paper easily.

Step 7: For the buttercream, heat 4 oz sugar and ¼ cup water in a small pan over medium heat, stirring until dissolved, then boil without stirring to 250°F (soft-ball stage), about 5 minutes.

Step 8: Meanwhile whisk 4 egg yolks until pale. With the whisk running, pour in the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl, then keep whisking until the bowl feels only just warm, about 8 minutes.

Step 9: Whisk in 8 oz unsalted butter a few cubes at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla extract, until thick and smooth. If it looks curdled, keep whisking; it comes together.

Step 10: Trim any ragged meringue edges, crush the trimmings and mix them with 2 ⅛ oz plain vanilla biscuit crumbs.

Step 11: Sandwich pairs of meringues with a thin layer of buttercream, then spread more buttercream thinly over the top, sides and bottom.

Step 12: Roll each one in the crumbs to coat, set on a tray and freeze for at least 1 hour until firm.

Step 13: Wrap individually and keep frozen for up to a month. Eat straight from the freezer or after 5 minutes at room temperature.