Christmas lights

Ingredients for 16 servings:

• 50 g flour
• 30 g cornstarch, fine
• 50 g ground almonds
• 8 egg yolks
• 100 g sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp rum
• 400 g jam (orange or apricot jam)
• 100 g desiccated coconut
• 100 g couverture, chocolate, semi-sweet
• 16 almonds, peeled
• Pistachios, chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

or Christmas candles

Sift the flour and cornstarch into a bowl. Stir in the almonds. Beat the egg yolks with 50g of sugar until light and creamy. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, gradually adding the remaining sugar. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Carefully fold in the remaining beaten egg whites and the almond flour. Spread the batter evenly on the baking tray using a spatula. Bake in the oven (center, fan oven 200°C) for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Turn the sponge cake out onto a tea towel. Remove the baking paper. Drizzle the sponge cake with rum and cut in half. Stir 300g of orange marmalade until smooth and spread a thin layer over the sponge cake. Carefully roll up the two sheets. Heat the remaining marmalade in a small saucepan. Spread the sponge cake rolls with it. Sprinkle the desiccated coconut over the top. Melt the chocolate coating in a water bath. Toast the almonds in a dry pan. Cut the rolls into about 16 equal pieces, each about 4-5 cm long. Dip one cut side of each roll about 5 mm deep into the chocolate coating, then the other. Place each roll on baking paper to dry. Using a dab of melted chocolate coating, stick a toasted almond onto each “candle” (Lichtel) to resemble a candle flame. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if desired.