First, let's make the caramel, as it will need time to cool. Place a clean, dry, heavy-bottomed saucepan on the stove. Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar covering most of the bottom. Turn the heat to medium and wait for this first batch of sugar to melt.

Once the sugar turns liquid, reduce the heat to almost the minimum. Begin stirring, gradually adding new, small portions of sugar. Stir and wait for it to melt completely before adding the next portion. As the volume of melted sugar increases, you can add slightly larger portions of sugar. Add the final batch and wait until it is entirely liquid.

Simultaneously, heat the heavy cream. Stir it slightly so it heats evenly, and bring it just to a boil—but do not let it actively boil. Remove from heat immediately.

Pour the hot cream into the melted sugar in small, careful batches, stirring constantly. Caution: Be very careful and keep your hands back, as this will create a lot of hot, active steam.

Once all the cream is incorporated and the caramel is smooth, turn off the heat and remove the saucepan. Immediately pour the caramel into a clean bowl. Set aside a small amount (about 30 g) for decorating the cake later. Cover the caramel with plastic wrap directly on the surface and let it cool at room temperature.

Shortcrust Pastry (Dough): Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and the sugar, and mix well to combine.

Add the cold butter, cut into small cubes. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, process the mixture into fine crumbs (it should look similar to almond flour). The butter pieces should still be visible.

Add the cold egg and cold sour cream, and mix just until the ingredients come together. Crucial detail: Do not overmix the shortcrust pastry, otherwise the final texture will be tough and less crumbly.

As soon as the dough starts to clump together, immediately turn off the mixer and turn the dough out onto your work surface. Quickly gather it into a ball with your hands and divide it into 3 equal parts (you can shape them into small "logs").

Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly for at least 1–2 hours. (Note: The original author chilled it for 5 hours).

Once the dough is well chilled, take it out. For easier handling, you can place the dough in the freezer for 15–20 minutes right before working with it.

Grate the dough using a coarse grater. Important: As soon as you notice the dough warming up, crumbling in your hands, and becoming difficult to grate, put it back in the freezer and grab another cold piece.

Spread the grated dough evenly onto a baking sheet lined with a Teflon mat, silicone mat, or parchment paper. (It is best to divide the baking into two batches).

Bake in a preheated oven for 10–15 minutes until it reaches a confident golden color. The recommended temperature is 180°C, using top-and-bottom heat without convection. (Keep an eye on it and adjust to your specific oven). The dough should be nicely browned, but do not let it turn dark brown.

Caramel-Butter Cream: When the caramel has cooled to room temperature, begin making the cream. Place the soft, room-temperature butter into a mixing bowl and whip it until pale and fluffy. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even whipping.

Add the caramel to the butter in small batches, mixing well on low speed after each addition. (Optional: You can add a splash of aromatic alcohol, such as rum or cognac, at this stage).

Cake Assembly: Once the baked shortcrust pastry has cooled completely, place it in a large bowl and break it into pieces. They shouldn't be too small or too large—aim for medium-sized crumbles.

Pour all of the prepared caramel-butter cream over the pastry pieces and mix thoroughly. Essentially, this mixture is your cake—you just need to shape it.

Transfer the mixture to a serving platter, packing it together to form a mound or "anthill." You can shape it as high or wide as you prefer.

Transfer the reserved decoration caramel into a piping bag, snip off a tiny corner, and decorate the cake with drizzles. Finish by sprinkling poppy seeds over the top to mimic "ants."

Refrigerate the cake for 2–3 hours to let it set before serving. (Chilling it overnight yields the best results).

Once properly chilled, the cake slices beautifully into neat pieces. The combination of crispy shortcrust pastry and sweet caramel cream makes it absolutely impossible to stop eating!