Strawberry Bavarian Cream Cake With Strawberry Mirror

Photo: Jo Ann

Ingredients

Ingredients for Cake:

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup sifted cake flour

1/2 cup water

cup sugar

2 tablespoons strawberry liqueur

Ingredients for Strawberry Bavarian Cream:

2 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups strained strawberry puree

5 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

several drops of red food coloring

1 3/4 cups whipping cream

Ingredients for Strawberry Mirror:

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon strawberry liqueur

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

few drops of red food coloring

Preparation

Directions for Cake:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter and flour the sides of an 11-by-17 inch jelly roll pan (rimmed baking sheet). Line bottom of pan with a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit bottom pan exactly.

Beat eggs, egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and light. Beat in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, add cream of tartar and beat until whites begin to form peaks. Add the 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until the whites hold stiff, glossy peaks (do not over beat).

Sift flour over the egg yolk mixture and fold in. Stir in in one fourth of the whites. Then carefully fold in the remaining whites.

Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until light brown and springy to touch (7 to 10 minutes). Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife along edge to loosen. Invert cake tin to cut out 8-1/4-inch circles of cake. Wrap the cake layers, separated with waxed paper, and set aside. Cake may be frozen at this point.

To make soaking syrup: Combine 1/2 cup water and the 1/3 cup sugar in saucepan; bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Cool to room temperature; flavor with liqueur. Set aside until ready to use.

To Assemble Cake:

Brush sides of 10-inch springform pan lightly with flavorless salad oil. Cut out a cardboard circle that is exactly the same size as the bottom inside of the pan; cover cardboard with aluminum foil and fit into bottom of pan. Center one layer of the cake bottom on pan. Brush the cake with some of the soaking syrup to just moisten; set aside.

Prepare strawberry Bavarian Cream. Immediately pour about half of the Bavarian Cream over the first layer of cake in the pan. Set the next layer of cake on top of the cream. Pour remaining Bavarian Cream over cake and smooth top of the cream with spatula. Refrigerate until the cream sets, about 1 to 2 hours.

Prepare the Mirror.

To Serve:

Wrap a hot towel around outside of sprinform pan for a few minutes. Run a small sharp knife tip around the edge of the Strawberry Mirror to separate if from the sides of pan. Mirror will tear when sides are unlatched if it is stuck at any point. Slowly unlatch the pan and slide it off the cake. Slice cake in wedges and serve in upright slices.

Directions for Strawberry Bavarian Cream:

Sprinkle the gelatin over the strawberry puree in a small bowl and set aside until spongy.

Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, beat until light. Bring milk to a boil in sauce pan. Pour hot milk into yolk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.

Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat,stirring constantly, until your finger leaves a clear trail in sauce when drawn across the back of the spoon. (Do not boil or mixture will curdle.) Immediately remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin mixture. Pour into a stainless steel bowl placed over a bowl of ice water. Stir in lemon juice and a few drops of red food coloring. Cool over ice water, stirring occasionally, until mixture thicken to the consistency of softly whipped cream.

While gelatin mixture is cooling, whip the whipping cream until it holds soft peaks. When the gelatin mixture resemble softly whipped cream, fold the whipped cream into the gelatin mixture.

Directions for Strawberry Mirror:

Prepare strawberry juice.

Ingredients for Strawberry Juice:

Pints of strawberries

Cup sugar

Cup water

Wash and hull strawberries; coarsely chop. Place strawberries in saucepan, crush to start juices flowing. Place over low heat; add sugar and water; simmer slowly 10 minutes. Push juice and pulp through damp jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander and drain into a bowl for 15 minutes.

Place lemon juice, liqueur and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over this mixture; set aside until spongy and soft.

Measure 1-1/2 cups strawberry juice into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer; pour over gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve gelatin. Tint to desired color with red food coloring. Place bowl over bowl of ice water and stir occasionally until the mixture is ssyrupy and just begins to thicken; remove from ice water.

When mixture is syrup, pour a 1/16-inch layer over the top of cake. Refrigerate until set.