Recipes of the Week - Strawberry and Cream Sponge Cake and

Strawberries

It has been a cold wet spring and in spite of the really nice weather we have had for the last week, the year is still very late. My strawberry plants are producing but, not huge crops and certainly the fruit sis not as luscious as it has been in other years. 

However, let us celebrate them while they are here.

Strawberry Cream Sponge-cake

 I am using a fat-free sponge cake although this can be made just as successfully with a Genoese sponge cake mixture. A fat free sponge cake can be a bit dry, especially if overcooked so, having a moist filling is a good idea.

Fat free sponge cake is very easy to make but, it is important to remember that the only raising agent is the air you whisk into the eggs. Take care to ensure you don’t loose any of that air;

·         leaving the mixture at any time during the process

·         stirring the flour in too vigorously or for too long

For the sponge cake

4 large eggs

4 oz [100gm] caster sugar

4 oz [100gm] plain flour

Method

·         Before you begin preset the oven 200ºC  [400ºF or No 6 gas].

·         Grease and line 2 x7” [18cm] round sandwich cake tins.

·         Put the eggs and sugar into a clean bowl and whisk until the mixture is thick and creamy [you should be able to leave a trail of a figure 8 in the mixture which will stay there until it is completed].

·         Sieve the flour over the mixture and using a large metal spoon, fold in the flour as quickly as possible but, avoid leaving any pockets of flour.

·         Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and put into the pre-set oven immediately for about 15-20 minutes. The cake should not indent if you press lightly with your finger.

·         Remove from the oven and leave for a couple of minutes to cool slightly but, remove the cakes from the tins while still hot – leave to cool completely.

For the Filling

2 Tblsp. strawberry jam

1 small tub double cream

1 dsp.cointreau liqueur

Approx. 8oz [225gm] fresh hulled strawberries – more if you want to decorate the cake with them

A little icing sugar

Method

·         Whisk the cream with the cointreau until thick but not buttery.

·         Cut any very large strawberries into halves or quarters.

·         Place one of the cakes up-side down onto the serving plate.

·         Spread with a layer of strawberry jam.

·         Put a layer of cream on top and arrange the strawberries on top of the cream.

·         Place the second cake on top of the filling and sieve a light layer of icing sugar over the top of the cake.

·         Arrange some extra strawberries over the top to decorate if you wish

It is a good idea to eat this cake fairly quickly, preferable the same day as the strawberries and the cream will not keep and the cake will become dry.

Eton Mess

A very traditional English dessert which originated in the famous Eton School. In its early days it was a mixture of whipped cream and strawberries then crushed or broken meringue was added later.

1 punnet fresh strawberries – clean and hulled

1 large tub fresh double cream

4 bought meringues or meringue nests – broken into smallish pieces

[if you are going to make your own meringues  - 2 eggs whites 100g [4oz] caster sugar]. They must be completely dried out in a very low oven overnight.

Method

Keep the best looking half of the strawberries and slice them. Crush the rest. 

Whip the cream until thick and mix the crushed strawberries in well.

Add the broken meringue and the sliced strawberries and fold in gently.

Arrange in glass dishes and serve immediately [the meringue should not be added until just before service or it will melt]

You may replace the strawberries with raspberries or have a mixture of the two fruits

Fold in 2 Tblsp. Cointreau to give the dessert a bit of zing!