Strawberry cake

Name: Strawberry cake - Aneta H.
Ingredients: about 350 g strawberries 50 g sugar For the first layer: 100 g biscuits (slightly sweet) 3 strawberry cereal bars 50 g margarine For the second layer: 3 egg whites 3 tablespoon

Dessert - Strawberry cake by Aneta H. - Recipia

The vanilla cream cake with strawberries and two layers has several stages, but each is prepared quite simply. The strawberries are cooked beforehand, the biscuit layer is pressed directly into the tray, and the egg white layer is baked separately. After assembly, the cake needs a few hours in the fridge for the layers to set and be cut nicely. Quick Info Preparation time: not specified exactly; the recipe is prepared in several stages Cooking time: approximately 30 minutes for the strawberries, plus the baking time for the second layer Cooling time: a few hours after assembly Servings: number not specified and depends on the size of the pieces Difficulty: medium Recipe type: fruit cake with vanilla cream and two layers Ingredients For the strawberries 350 g strawberries 50 g sugar For the first layer 100 g biscuits, preferably slightly sweet 3 strawberry cereal bars 50 g margarine For the second layer 3 egg whites 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon semolina 3 tablespoons flour 1 pinch of salt For the vanilla cream 300 ml milk 2 egg yolks 50 g sugar 50 g starch vanilla essence 200 ml liquid cream Preparation method 1. Prepare the strawberries Wash and clean the strawberries, then cut them into small cubes. Put them in a pot along with the 50 g of sugar and let them cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The strawberries will release juice and soften during cooking. Once ready, remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool. It is important that the strawberry layer is not placed hot over the cream or layer. If it is still very hot, it may soften the layers and the cream may lose its consistency. 2. Prepare the first layer Crush the biscuits and the strawberry cereal bars. They do not need to be turned into a very fine powder, but large pieces should be broken down so that the layer binds evenly. Melt the margarine and mix it with the crushed biscuits and bars. The resulting mixture should be moist enough to be pressed. Line a taller tray with cling film. Place the mixture at the bottom of the tray and press it down well until you form an even layer. Pay special attention to the edges and areas where the mixture is fluffier. Put the tray in the fridge while you prepare the other components. By cooling, the margarine hardens and the layer becomes more compact. 3. Bake the second layer Put the egg whites in a bowl and beat them together with the pinch of salt. Gradually add the sugar and continue mixing until you obtain a firm foam. Add the flour and semolina over the beaten egg whites. Incorporate them gently, with bottom-to-top movements, to preserve as much volume as possible. Pour the mixture into a tray and bake the layer at 180 degrees Celsius until it is lightly browned. The recipe source does not specify an exact baking time, so watch the appearance of the layer and remove it when it has a light golden color. Let the layer cool before assembly. Do not place it hot over the vanilla cream. 4. Prepare the vanilla cream Mix the egg yolks well with the sugar. Add the starch and homogenize the mixture so that no lumps remain. Heat the milk, then gradually pour it in a thin stream over the mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and starch. Stir continuously while adding the milk. Put the mixture on the heat and boil it until it thickens like pudding. Stir constantly, especially on the bottom and edges of the pot, to prevent the cream from sticking. When the cream has thickened, remove the pot from heat and add the vanilla essence. Let the cream cool. Once it is no longer hot, incorporate the whipped liquid cream. The cream must be whipped before being added to the cooled cream. Mix gently until the cream becomes uniform. 5. Assemble the cake Remove the tray with the first layer from the fridge. Pour half of the vanilla cream over the biscuit layer and level it gently. Place the baked and cooled layer on top. Spread the cooked and cooled strawberries over it, then cover everything with the remaining cream. Level the last layer, then let the cake cool for a few hours. The cooling time is necessary for the biscuit layer to harden, for the cream to stabilize, and for the layers to be cut without slipping. After cooling, portion the cake and serve it cold. Why I make the recipe often I love the recipe because it uses strawberries in a simple cooked layer with a little sugar, without needing a complicated fruit composition. The biscuit layer is prepared quickly, and the vanilla cream binds all the layers together. The cake is suitable when you want a dessert prepared in advance. In fact, it needs a few hours in the fridge before cutting, so it can be made ahead of serving. Tips and variations Tips Let the strawberries cool before assembly. If they are hot, they can affect the consistency of the cream. The biscuit layer must be pressed well in the tray. If it remains too fluffy, it may crumble when cutting the cake. Incorporate the flour and semolina into the egg whites with slow, bottom-to-top movements. Vigorous mixing can release air from the foam. The vanilla cream must be cooled before adding the whipped cream. The cream should not be mixed into hot cream. Do not skip the cooling time. The cake is easier to cut after all layers have been in the fridge for a few hours. Substitutions The margarine in the first layer can only be replaced with a similar product, but the recipe source uses margarine and this is the indicated amount. Instead of strawberry cereal bars, it is not recommended to use a completely different ingredient without considering the texture of the layer. The bars contribute to both the taste and the structure of the biscuit layer. For the cream, vanilla essence can be replaced with another vanilla flavor, keeping the same amount of cream and the rest of the ingredients. Variations You can prepare the cake with other soft fruits instead of strawberries, but this will change the taste and the amount of juice obtained through cooking. The basic recipe is designed for strawberries. If you prefer a less sweet taste, it is best to keep the biscuits slightly sweet as indicated in the recipe instead of increasing the amount of sugar in the cream or layers. Serving ideas The cake is served cold, cut into pieces. It is suitable as a dessert after a family meal or for an occasion when you want to prepare something a day or a few hours in advance. Frequently asked questions How long do you cook the strawberries? The strawberries are kept on low heat for about 30 minutes, along with the sugar. Stir occasionally and then let them cool before use. Can the cake be assembled with the layer still hot? No. Both the baked layer and the cooked strawberries must be allowed to cool. The hot layer can affect the cream, and the warm strawberries can make the layers softer. Why is the first layer put in the fridge? The mixture of biscuits, cereal bars, and margarine needs to harden. Cooling makes it more compact and helps the cake maintain its shape during assembly and cutting. When do you add the whipped cream to the vanilla cream? The liquid cream is whipped separately and added to the vanilla cream after it has cooled. The cream should not be added to hot cream. How long should the cake stay in the fridge? The source indicates a time of a few hours. This interval is necessary for the layers to set; the exact time may vary depending on the tray and the consistency of the cream. Nutritional values The values below are estimates and may vary depending on the brand of biscuits, cereal bars, margarine, and cream used. For calculation, I assumed the cake is divided into 10 servings. For one serving, the estimate is approximately: 320 kcal 45 g carbohydrates 5-7 g proteins 14-17 g fats The amount can vary quite a bit depending on the products used and the size of the portions. The cream, margarine, biscuits, and cereal bars contribute the most to the total caloric intake. Storage and reheating Store the cake in the fridge, covered, as it contains vanilla cream, whipped cream, and cooked fruits. It is served cold and is not suitable for reheating. For better texture, keep the cake cold until serving. Portion only what is to be consumed, as the layers may gradually soften after cutting.

Strawberry cake

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