Strawberry cake with meringue and crumble
The strawberry, meringue, and crumble cake is the dessert I prepared for some friends I went to the mountains with. It was a hit, and I liked it, especially after it sat until the next day. The base dough becomes tender, the meringue remains slightly soft over the strawberries, and the pieces of dough on top bake and become crunchy. This is not a classic crumble, as the base layer is a shortcrust pastry spread in the tray. Semolina is optional but helps absorb the juice released by the strawberries. Quick info Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified Baking time: 40 minutes Oven temperature: 180 degrees Celsius Servings: approximately 20 pieces, depending on how it is portioned Difficulty: medium Recipe type: homemade fruit cake with meringue and shortcrust pastry Ingredients For the dough 6 egg yolks 5 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons oil 200 g butter, at room temperature 6 tablespoons sour cream Zest of one lemon Juice from 1/2 lemon 1 teaspoon lemon essence 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 packet baking powder Approximately 600 g flour, or as needed A pinch of salt For the filling 300 g strawberries 3 tablespoons semolina, optional For the meringue 6 egg whites 5 tablespoons sugar Juice from 1/2 lemon 6 tablespoons ground walnuts 2 tablespoons flour 2 packets vanilla sugar For finishing Powdered sugar, after baking Preparation method 1. Prepare the dough Put the soft butter in a bowl and mix it with the sugar until the mixture becomes frothy. Separately, beat the egg yolks with salt and oil, then gradually add them over the butter, continuing to mix. Incorporate the sour cream, then the baking soda dissolved in lemon juice. Add the lemon zest and essence. Finally, sift the flour together with the baking powder and add it gradually. Knead until you obtain a dough that no longer sticks to your hands but remains soft enough to be rolled out. The amount of flour may vary slightly, so it's better to add it gradually without overloading the dough unnecessarily. 2. Prepare the piece for the crunchy part Take a piece of dough about the size of a tennis ball. Add another two tablespoons of flour and knead briefly until incorporated. This piece will be used at the end for the top layer. It can be grated on a large grater, or it can be broken into irregular pieces, as I did. 3. Place the base in the tray Roll out the remaining dough and place it in a 26 x 36 cm tray lined with baking paper. Smooth it out to cover the bottom of the tray and let it rest while you prepare the fruits and meringue. 4. Prepare the strawberries Wash the strawberries well and let them drain. After draining, cut them in half. It's important not to have them too wet when placing them over the dough, as they will release juice during baking anyway. If you use large strawberries, you can cut them into suitable pieces, but halves are sufficient for regular-sized fruits. 5. Prepare the meringue Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become foamy. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla sugar, continuing to mix until you obtain a consistent foam. Then incorporate the lemon juice, ground walnuts, and flour. Mix gently so that the composition remains as airy as possible. 6. Assemble the cake Sprinkle semolina over the rolled-out dough in the tray. This is optional, but it helps absorb some of the juice released by the strawberries. Place the halved strawberries next to each other over the semolina layer. Spread the meringue evenly over the fruits. Finally, grate the reserved piece of dough on top or break it into irregular pieces and scatter them over the meringue. 7. Bake the cake Place the tray in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius and bake the cake for 40 minutes. The surface should be baked, and the pieces of dough on top should have a slightly golden color. After baking, let the cake cool well before cutting it. While it's warm, the layers are softer, and the portions can be harder to separate. Sprinkle powdered sugar before serving. Why I make this recipe often I love the combination of the tender dough, slightly sour strawberries, the walnuts in the meringue, and the crunchy top. It's a cake suitable for a larger tray and is easy to portion after it has cooled. Another advantage is that it tastes better the next day. The dough under the meringue becomes tender, while the pieces on top remain crunchy. For this reason, it's a suitable recipe when you want to prepare the dessert a day in advance. Tips The butter should be soft, at room temperature, to mix well with the sugar. If it's too cold, the mixture won't become as frothy. Add the flour gradually and stop when the dough no longer sticks to your hands. The indicated amount is approximate, and if you add too much flour, the base may turn out harder. The strawberries should be washed and well drained before use. Semolina is not mandatory, but it is useful, especially if the fruits are very juicy. Do not cut the cake immediately after taking it out of the oven. It needs to cool completely for the meringue and fruit layers to set. For a sweeter taste, you can add a tablespoon of sugar both in the dough and in the meringue. The amount in the recipe was reduced. Substitutions Semolina can be omitted. It does not change the structure of the dough but serves to absorb some of the strawberry juice. The lemon juice used for the baking soda must be kept in the dough, as it is what neutralizes the baking soda. The other half of the lemon is used for the meringue. Otherwise, the recipe relies on the balance between dough, fruit, and meringue, so I wouldn't change the main ingredients without altering the cake's texture. Variations The simplest variation is adjusting the amount of sugar. If you prefer sweeter desserts, increase the amount of sugar in the dough and meringue by a tablespoon each. For the top layer, the dough can be grated on a large grater or broken into irregular pieces. The broken pieces have different sizes and bake slightly unevenly, which provides a pleasant texture. Serving ideas The cake can be served plain, dusted with sugar. It is easier to portion after it has completely cooled, and the taste is more pronounced the next day. Frequently asked questions Can I omit semolina? Yes. Semolina is optional and is used to absorb some of the strawberry juice. If the fruits are well drained and not too juicy, the cake can be made without it. Why is flour added to the piece of dough reserved for the top? The two tablespoons of flour make the reserved piece of dough more suitable for grating or breaking into pieces. This way, the top layer bakes and becomes crunchier. When can I cut the cake? After it has cooled completely. When it is hot, the meringue and fruits are soft, and the layers do not portion as cleanly. Is the cake better on the same day or the next day? It is good on the day of baking, but the next day the dough under the meringue becomes tender, and the pieces of dough on top remain crunchy. Can it be made without vanilla sugar? In the original recipe, the meringue contains two packets of vanilla sugar. If omitted, the vanilla flavor is lost, but the structure of the meringue does not depend on this ingredient. Nutritional values The values are estimated and depend on the exact amount of flour, the fat content of the sour cream, and the portion size. The calculation below is made for approximately 20 pieces and does not include the powdered sugar used at the end. One piece may have approximately: 290 kcal 35 g carbohydrates 14 g fat 6 g protein The cake contains several sources of fat and carbohydrates, especially butter, sugar, flour, and walnuts. The values may vary considerably if the portions are larger or if more flour is used than the approximate amount. Storage and reheating Let the cake cool completely before covering it. It can be stored until the next day when the texture of the base becomes more tender, and the top remains crunchy. There is no need to reheat it. In fact, reheating may soften the meringue and the crunchy top layer. It is served cold or at room temperature after being cut into portions.
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