Magdalena Cake

(for the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, July 22)

Makes 1 cake, approximately 10 pieces

4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar

Filling:
3 1/2 ounces butter or margarine
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
Scant 1/4 cup Madeira wine (optional)

Decoration:
1 1/4 scant cups whipping cream
1/4 cup flaked, roasted almonds

Dress a pancake pan with buttered baking paper.

Beat the egg whites stiff and fold in the sugar. Spread 1/3 of the foamy mixture in the pancake pan and bake in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 25 minutes, so that you get a nicely colored, crisp meringue layer. Repeat this procedure with the remaining mixture, so that you have 3 layers.

Put the fat into a bowl and put it in a saucepan with water. Break the chocolate in pieces in the bowl and warm until it melts. Remove the bowl and stir until the mixture is cool. Add coffee powder, sugar, egg yolks, and optional Madeira. Stir the mixture smooth and nice and allow to cool completely.

Spread out the chocolate mixture on two of the layers. Glue them together and cover with the third layer. Beat the cream, then spread it on top of the cake and decorate with flaked almonds.