Ingredients
4 oz plain flour
Pinch of salt
4 eggs
6 oz caster sugar
5-6 sugar lumps
2 oranges
ľ pint double cream
2-3 tablespoons sliced glacé ginger
For decoration
Extra double cream
Extra glacé ginger, or crystallised orange slices
2-6 baking sheets; 2-6 cooling racks
Method
Prepare the baking sheets in the following way: brush with melted lard or oil, dust lightly with flour, then mark an 8-inch circle on each, using a plate or saucepan lid as a guide.
Set the oven at 375ºF or Mark 5.
Sift the flour with the salt. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and whisk over hot water until the mixture is thick and white (if using electric mixer, no heat is necessary).
Remove from the heat and continue whisking until the bowl is cold. Fold the flour lightly into the mixture, using a metal spoon. Divide mixture into 6 portions and spread each over a circle on the prepared sheets (this can be done with fewer sheets, in rotation, but each time they must be wiped, regreased and floured). Bake in the pre-set moderate oven for about 5-8 minutes. Trim each round with a sharp knife while still on the baking sheet, then lift it on to a wire rack to cool.
Rub the sugar lumps over the oranges to remove all the zest, then pound sugar to a syrup with a little orange juice. Whip the cream and sweeten with the orange syrup. Sandwich the 6 rounds of cake with the orange cream and sliced ginger. Decorate with extra cream, and ginger or crystallised orange slices.
