Winter for me is a test of endurance. As the daylight hours shorten and the daily high plummets I am firmly ensconced indoors. Here in a toasty warm kitchen with many windows I can see a dreamscape the snow has painted and sip hot tea while I watch for the turn of the seasons. I can smell it on the breeze, that special sweetness only the air in the earliest whispers of spring carries. Sunny warmth and rebirth is close and that’s the thought that gets me out of bed in the morning.
For weeks the cold had kept me firmly in the Northern Hemisphere . Some days Russian lamb pelmeni with adjeka cut by melted butter graced the table. Others the heartiness from the Alps in the form of Venison Schnitzel served with my own handmade spaetzle, accompanied by sauteed and spiced apples took center stage. Yet other days saw Mongolian dumplings bring bright smiles to my husband and son’s faces.
I enjoyed my time in these snow blanketed places but as the snow has melted and the air warms rapidly, the food migration is urging me on towards the British Isles and Fair France. Today I worked with a recipe in “Bake From Scratch : Volume Five” by Brian Hart Hoffman. I own all five volumes and have always found the quality of the recipes reasonably reliable and only sometimes needing altering. On page 43 I found a recipe for “Irish Sponge Cake with Strawberry Preserves and Cream” and the mental wheels started to turn!
Since the migration has taken me simultaneously to Ireland and France why not take the recipe for this delightful two layer cake and replace the whipped cream filling for something a little more interesting and perhaps French? It then occurred to me that there is a recipe for Strawberry Mousse on page 29 of a wonderful book called “La Vie Rustic” by Georgeanne Brennan. As soon as Byron left the kitchen for school (He walks across our back yard to Martin’s office cottage because the wifi is better there for remote learning) I was opening the cupboards and embarking on my cake adventure.
The first step was to examine the base cake recipe. Here below is the ingredient list for the cake:
- 1 3/4c (219g) Self rising Flour
- 4 Large Eggs (200g) – At room temperature
- 1c (200g) Castor Sugar
- 1c (227g) Unsalted Butter – At room temperature
Pretty simple right? While this ingredient list is sound the method that followed it left some room for improvement. Instead of simply mixing all the ingredients together like the recipe said I went with the traditional creaming method for cakes. Setting aside the flour, and setting the oven to 350F (325F convection setting), I beat the sugar with the butter until the mix was light and fluffy. Then, one by one the eggs are added before the flour is slowly integrated.
The smooth and creamy looking batter is poured in even portions between two 8 inch round cake pans buttered and bottom lined with parchment circles.
Into the oven for a 20 minute bake with doneness tested by toothpick. While the cake layers cool it’s time to make the strawberry mousse!
Strawberry Mousse :
- 1 pint (250g) Strawberries – washed, stemmed and cored
- 1/3c (90g) Sugar
- 1/4c (56g) Water
- 1tbs (12g) Unflavored Gelatin
- 1c (240g) Heavy cream
First thing is to pour the water into a small pot and sprinkle over the gelatin. Then puree the berries before mixing in the sugar and setting it aside.
Next whip the cream to stiff peaks. At this point a very delighted looking child might skip into the kitchen between lessons hoping to get a spoonful of whipped cream. Once said child has been obliged it is a good time to warm the water and gelatin on the stove top until combined and completely melted.
Integrate with the strawberry puree and gently fold in the whipped cream. And that is strawberry mousse!
With all components ready it is time to build that cake. A layer of cake is the supporting base with the mousse piped over it as a nice thick cloud-like blanket.
Following that the second cake layer is added creating the appearance of a giant cookie sandwich or moon pie.
All that is needed is a light dusting of powdered sugar topped with a pretty strawberry and mint garnish to complete it
This little cake was delicious and left me hungry for spring!
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Stone House Mouse 