Method

• 1.
  Line a large tray with paper towel. Place watermelon on paper towel and top with paper towel. Place a second tray on top and weigh down with a can. Stand for 2 hours for juice to be absorbed.
• 2.
  Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease base and sides of a 22cm cake pan and line with baking paper.
• 3.
  To make hazelnut cake, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk butter and 1 cup (220g) sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold through flour, hazelnuts and sour cream, then spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
• 4.
  To cook strawberries, heat 1/2 cup (125ml) water and remaining 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, add strawberries and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, for 9 minutes or until thickened slightly. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and stand for 1 hour or until cooled.

• 5.
  For the vanilla mascarpone, place eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and whisk constantly for 10 minutes or until a ribboned consistency. Whisk through vanilla seeds.
• 6.
  Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk mascarpone and cream to medium peaks. Fold through vanilla mixture and chill until needed.
• 7.
  To assemble, crumble hazelnut cake among 6 mixed serving glasses (any remaining cake can be stored, covered and frozen, for up to 3 months) and trim watermelon to fit glasses.
• 8.
  Top cake with vanilla mascarpone, a watermelon slice, then more vanilla mascarpone. Top with cooled strawberry mixture, pomegranate seeds and fairy floss to serve.