Scorched-honey Christmas parfait with hazelnut dacquoise and agrodolce cherries

For hazelnut dacquoise, preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line a 22cm square cake tin with baking paper. Process hazelnuts, icing sugar and flour in a food processor until finely chopped. Whisk egg whites and a pinch of fine salt in an electric mixture until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until sugar is dissolved and meringue is stiff and glossy. Transfer meringue to
a large bowl and fold in hazelnut mixture and zest. Spoon into tin, smooth surface, then bake until golden and cooked through (20 minutes). Cool briefly (5 minutes). Loosen edges with a sharp knife and invert onto a wire rack to cool. Line an 11.5cm x 21.5cm (top measurement), 9.5cm x 19.5cm (base measurement), 7cm-deep loaf tin with plastic wrap. Cut 2 rectangles out of the cake, one using the top measurement and the other using the base measurements. Discard offcuts.

Combine orange juice and brandy in a bowl. Place smaller piece of cake in base of lined tin and brush with half the brandy mixture. Place tin in the freezer.

For parfait, whisk egg yolks in an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and doubled in volume. Meanwhile, heat honey in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until caramelised (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, then add brandy and 1 tbsp double cream (hot honey will spit). Swirl pan to combine and stir in salt to taste. Reduce mixer speed to low-medium and slowly pour in hot honey mixture down the side of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until cooled (6-8 minutes). Whisk crème fraîche and remaining cream in a bowl until soft peaks form, then fold into yolk mixture in 3 batches. Pour mixture over cake layer in loaf pan. Return pan to freezer until slightly firm (1 hour). Top with remaining cake layer and drizzle with remaining brandy mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze overnight to set.

For agrodolce cherries, combine ingredients, except cherries, with 2 tbsp water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add cherries and simmer until cherries are tender (5 minutes). Remove from heat; refrigerate to chill.

To serve, turn out parfait onto a chopping board. Serve thickly sliced topped with agrodolce cherries and syrup, and chopped roasted hazelnuts.