French Semolina Cake with Pistachio Crème Anglaise

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9- or 10-inch springform pan, and wrap the outside of the pan with foil (this will ensure that no batter leaks out during the baking process).

In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, combine the milk with half the sugar and bring to a boil. Stir in the semolina and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Stir in half the butter and the remaining sugar. Remove from the heat and cool, stirring now and then. Stir in the remaining butter, the whole eggs plus 6 yolks, and the vanilla. In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry, and fold by thirds into the semolina mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a larger baking dish and add warm water to reach about halfway up the cake pan. Bake for 1 hour. Test with a toothpick or skewer to see if the cake is set and the crumb is dry. Remove from the oven and water bath and cool completely before removing from the pan. Serve with the crème anglaise and fresh berries or cherries.

Toast the nuts in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to dry them out and loosen the skins. Wrap the nuts in a dish towel and rub off the skins (as much as possible). When the nuts are cool, grind them very finely. Place the nuts, milk, and cream in a small saucepan and bring just to the boiling point. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer or cheesecloth and discard the nuts.