Active Time

　　35 minutes

　　Total Time

　　3 hours plus chilling overnight

　　Chiffon cake has all the light, fluffy texture of angel food cake, with a touch of egg yolk for richness. I love how a scant amount of tahini imbues this light-as-air chiffon with pure sesame flavor, and the lining of sesame seeds adds a bonus level of crunch and toasty notes. Don’t be alarmed by serving such a big wedge of cake: It’s a superlight vehicle for whipped cream and fruit, and you’ll be cleaning the plate in no time.

　　As for the toppings, burning or caramelizing the honey makes for a more complex-tasting twist on sweetened whipped cream. No need to use high-end honey here; the cooking process will eliminate any subtle nuances. Spring-y pink rhubarb is the perfect color and flavor to complement the dessert’s earthy notes, but just be sure to cut the stalks into equal-size pieces so they all cook and soften at the same rate. If you can’t find rhubarb, strawberries macerated in a few pinches of sugar and a squeeze of lemon are always a good substitute. The cardamom is optional, but the assertive spice plays well with the honey and tahini in the final dessert.

　　

Ingredients

6 servings

　　

Burnt honey

½ cup honey

　　½ tsp. kosher salt

　　⅓ cup chilled heavy cream

　　

Poached rhubarb

3 green cardamom pods, cracked open (optional)

　　1 cup (200 g) organic cane sugar or granulated sugar

　　3 slender pink rhubarb stalks (about 300 g), trimmed, leaves removed, cut into 3x½" pieces

　　

Cake and assembly

Nonstick vegetable oil spray or vegetable oil

　　½ cup (65 g) sesame seeds

　　½ cup plus 1 tsp. (72 g) cake flour

　　1 tsp. baking powder

　　½ tsp. kosher salt

　　2 large egg yolks, room temperature

　　2 Tbsp. plus ¾ tsp. (35 g) tahini

　　8 Tbsp. (100 g) organic cane sugar or granulated sugar, divided

　　3 large egg whites, room temperature

　　⅛ tsp. cream of tartar or a dash of vinegar or fresh lemon juice

　　⅔ cup chilled heavy cream

　　Special Equipment: A 6"-diameter and 3"-tall cake pan

　　

Burnt honey

Step 1

Bring honey to a boil in a medium saucepan (slightly larger than you think you’ll need because the honey will bubble up) over medium heat and cook until golden brown and toasty smelling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Carefully pour in cream (this will help stop the cooking). The honey will bubble and sputter, so be careful. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until homogenous. Let burnt honey mixture cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours. Do ahead: Burnt honey mixture can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

　　

Poached rhubarb

Step 2

Bring cardamom (if using), sugar, and ¾ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

　　

Step 3

If using cardamom, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 15 minutes to infuse. Set syrup back over medium-high heat and return to a boil.

　　

Step 4

Add rhubarb and cook until mixture just starts to bubble again; remove from heat. Cover and let sit until rhubarb pieces are softened but still hold their shape, 70–80 minutes. Do ahead: Rhubarb can be poached 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

　　

Cake and assembly

Step 5

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat cake pan with nonstick spray or lightly oil. Line bottom with a parchment paper round and spray or oil round. Pour sesame seeds into pan and gently shake and tilt pan to coat bottom and sides, pat out any excess. Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

　　

Step 6

Whisk egg yolks, tahini, 6 Tbsp. (75 g) sugar, and 3 Tbsp. room-temperature water in a small bowl to combine. Add dry ingredients and whisk well; set batter aside.

　　

Step 7

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed just until foamy bubbles appear, about 15 seconds. With the motor running, sprinkle in remaining 2 Tbsp. (25 g) sugar a teaspoonful at a time, beating 15–20 seconds after each addition to incorporate before adding more. (Take the time to build a strong meringue and your cake will thank you for it.) Beat until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form.

　　

Step 8

Using a rubber spatula, add one third of meringue to reserved batter and fold until just streaky, taking care not to deflate meringue. Repeat two more times, dividing remaining meringue in half and mixing the final addition until no streaks remain. Immediately scrape batter into prepared pan and lightly tap pan on counter to evenly distribute and even out size of bubbles.

　　

Step 9

Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and top is puffed and bounces back when gently pressed, 30–35 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto a wire rack, peel away parchment round, and turn right side up. Let cool (the top will flatten as it cools). Invert cake onto a cake or other large plate so sesame crust is on top.

　　

Step 10

Beat chilled burnt honey mixture and cream in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (a medium bowl and a whisk will also work) until medium firm peaks form. (You want that perfect dollop consistency, where it holds its shape on a plate but still has some slack.)

　　

Step 11

To serve, slice cake into six wedges with a serrated knife, using a long, gentle sawing motion. This will help preserve the crumb of the cake and give you a clean wedge. Divide, cut side down, among plates and spoon a couple of heaping tablespoonfuls burnt honey cream alongside. Using a fork, lift 3–4 rhubarb pieces out of the syrup and arrange next to cake. Drizzle a little rhubarb syrup over the cake if desired. Do ahead: Cake can be baked 2 days ahead; keep tightly wrapped at room temperature. Burnt honey cream can be made 3 hours ahead; cover and chill. Beat again briefly before using if needed.