Spanische Windtorte

A cake that is closely tied to Austria's history, spanische windtorte is a meringue-and-whipped-cream creation that acts as a beautiful centerpiece for any dinner party. Believed to have truly become a staple of the Austro-Hungarian empire during the baroque period, it appears in many 19th century cookbooks and has once been described as ''the fanciest cake in Vienna.'' The recipe involves very few ingredients, yet it is considered a technical challenge that requires a lot of patience. Egg whites and caster sugar are whisked together to create a glistening, stable meringue that will be piped onto a baking sheet and act as the layers of the cake. After baking in the oven and waiting for the meringue layers to cool down, the whipped cream is mixed with a large portion of fresh berries and interlaced between the layers. The cake must be served immediately and cannot be cut in a graceful manner, which does take away from the overall aspect, but actually improves the consistency, as the meringue and berries are blended together. The cake is often served with fruity sparkling wines or a glass of fresh fruit juice on the side.