PANE di SPAGNA Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes @ 375ºF Yield: 1 10â sponge cake Batter Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat the egg yolks, add the confectionary sugar and extract and blend well until the batter is smooth. Add in the sifted flour a little at a time and blend well. The batter will be a little thick at this point. Fold 1/4th of the egg whites into the batter. Fold in the remaining egg whites gently. Baking Pour it into a greased baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes. Prick it with a cake tester until it come out dry. PASTRY CREAM In a heavy saucepan whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and the eggs. Add the milk in a slow stream whisking all the time and bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer the pastry cream, whisking it for 2 minutes and transfer it to a bowl, Stir in the vanilla. Cover the surface with plastic wrap for approximately 4 hours, or until cold. The pastry cream may be made 1 day in advance kept covered and chilled. PREPERATION If using the Pane di Spagna, follow the directions according to the recipe. Prepare the pastry cream according to the recipe. FILLING If you are using fresh peaches, peel them and cut them into slices. Put 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water in a pan and dissolve the sugar until you have syrup. Place the peaches in the syrup and cook them until they are soft, but still are slightly stiff. Remove and allow them to cool. Reduce the syrup to about 1 cup. Add a little peach brandy or rum to the syrup. Use syrup to sprinkle over the cake instead of the rum. If using fresh strawberries, they should be washed, shucked and sliced. In this case you would use rum to sprinkle over the cake as the strawberries are not cooked. ASSEMBLY Cover a 10â x 5â bowl or form with plastic wrap so that it completely covers the bowl. It should come down the outside of the bowl enough to fold over the cake at the end. Cut the cakes in half and cover the bottom and sides of the bowl with the cake. Depending on what your using, sprinkle a little rum or syrup over the entire cake. Spread a layer of pastry cream over bottom of the cake. Place another layer of cake over the cream and sprinkle it again. Layer the strawberries or peaches and place them over the soaked cake. Cover the fruit with another layer of cake again sprinkling the syrup or rum over the cake. Put another layer of fruit over the cake and another layer of pastry cream and cover the cream with the last layer of cake. Spinkle the last layer of cake with the syrup or rum. This should take you to the top of your bowl. Bring the plastic wrap over the top of the bowl covering the entire top of the cake. Place a plate on the top with a weight, such as a can of tomatoes and put it in the refrigerator overnight. TOPPING Place almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown. Watch them carefully as they will brown quickly. In a cold bowl pour the cream and whip until the cream starts to stiffen. Put the vanilla and confectionary sugar in and beat until the cream forms stiff peaks. Demold the cake and remove the plastic wrap. Cover the entire cake with the whipped cream and pat the toasted almonds onto the cream. Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.