Strawberry Cake

Preparation

• White Chocolate Whipped Cream

  • Place the white chocolate in a bowl.
  • In a small pot, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes without stirring. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

• Strawberry Jelly

  • In a bowl, combine the sugar and agar-agar.
  • In a small pot, bring the strawberry purée and lemon juice to a boil. Sprinkle in the sugar mixture while whisking and let boil for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until the jelly has set.
  • Using a hand blender or a small food processor, purée the jelly until smooth.

• Strawberry Crumble (optional)

  • With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
  • In a bowl, combine the butter, flour, milk powder, sugar and salt until just moistened. Press the mixture with your hands, letting it drop in pieces of varying size onto the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until cooked and slightly golden. Let cool completely.
  • When the crumble has cooled, coat with the melted white chocolate. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and let the chocolate set.
  • Coat the crumble with the strawberry powder, if desired.

• Cake

  • Line the bottom of two 8-inch (20 cm) springform pans with removable bottoms with parchment paper. Do not butter the pans.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 10 minutes or until the mixture triples in volume and falls from the beaters in a ribbon.
  • Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture and fold in using a whisk. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in one of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool in the pans set on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn the pans over (keeping the cakes in the pans) and let cool completely. Unmould.

• Assembly

  • In a bowl, whisk the white chocolate cream until soft peaks form. Remove ¼ cup (60 ml) of the whipped cream and place in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip.
  • Add the strawberry jelly and, if desired, a few drops of food colouring to the remaining whipped cream. Whisk until firm peaks form. Remove ¼ cup (60 ml) of the strawberry whipped cream and place in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip.
  • Cut each cake in half horizontally to get a total of 4 slices.
  • On a serving dish, place one slice of cake. Top with one-quarter of the strawberry whipped cream. Repeat, layering the remaining cake slices and strawberry whipped cream. Using the pastry bags of whipped cream, garnish the top of the cake with dollops of white chocolate whipped cream and strawberry whipped cream. Sprinkle with the strawberry crumble, if desired.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake will keep for 3 days covered in the refrigerator.