The Briar Club

by Kate Quinn

Kitty’s Medovik, Lina’s Eight-Layer Honey Cloud Cake 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten with a fork 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to roll out the dough 1 cup heavy whipping cream 32 ounces sour cream 2 cups powdered sugar Whole strawberries for decoration Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, heat the granulated sugar, honey, and butter over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t use high heat or the mixture may scorch on the bottom. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove the mixture from the heat, and while it’s still hot, add the beaten eggs in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously until all the eggs are incorporated (whisk constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs). Whisk in the baking soda until no lumps remain, then fold in the flour 1/2 cup at a time with a spatula until the dough reaches a clay consistency and doesn’t stick to your hands. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. On a well-floured surface, roll each piece out into a thin 9-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle the top with a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Place a 9-inch plate or the base from a springform pan over the rolled-out dough and trace around it with a knife to make perfect circles. Keep the scraps for later. Transfer 2 rounds of the...