Thursday, September 4, 2014

strawberry yogurt cake

Having used up two out of the four punnets of strawberries I bought the other day, I knew I had to find another recipe soon.

Strawberries don't last very long, unfortunately. In addition, I had been having so much fun trying out new recipes with these strawberries, and I was really forward to making something different.
Before I hunt down a recipe, I usually check through my fridges to see if there is anything else that needs using up. I mean, I might as well kill as many birds with that single stone as I possible can while I am at it!

I found some yogurt that needed using, so I decided that I would make this strawberry yogurt cake.
I like mousse cakes a lot. They are so airy it feels like I am eating a soft jelly, which I also happen to like a lot. Well, at least I used to like it when I was a kid. Not so much now since I am rather anti-overly sweet things. That is why it is great to be able to bake - you can always adjust the level of sweetness to your liking!

But I digress. Let us talk about this cake.

The base is a soft white cake that is make with egg whites. And this is topped with an avalanche of strawberry mousse with tiny bits of strawberries scattered throughout.

If you'd like to make this, here are the instructions.

To make the base, first add a pinch of salt to the egg whites. Whisk the egg whites until they turn foamy.
Then add the sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Use your hand to fold in the sifted flour and baking powder.
Transfer the mixture into a line and greased Springform pan.
Smooth the mixture with a spatula and bake at 185°C (365°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted into the cake emerges cleanly.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan.

Add the gelatin into cold water and give it a stir. Set this aside for about 5 minutes.
Place a mixing bowl in an ice bath. Add the cream into the mixing bowl and whisk until the cream is dense.
Add the sugar and continue to whip for another minute or so. The cream should be thick. Place this in the fridge.
Hull and slice the strawberries, then blend them. Pour the strawberry mixture into a bowl.
Add the yogurt, lemon zest and sugar into the strawberry mixture and mix with a whisk until smooth. Set this aside.
Melt the gelatin on very low heat - don't allow the mixture to boil!
Remove from heat and add about 1/2 cup of strawberry mixture to the gelatin. Whisk to combine.
Pour this into the remaining strawberry mixture, and whisk until you get a uniform mixture.
Fold the whipped cream gently into the strawberry mixture. Set this aside.
Remove the lining from the base of the cake. Place the cake back into the Springform pan.
Pour the strawberry mixture into the pan, over the cake.
Smooth the top with a spatula and chill the cake for at least 3 hours (overnight if you can).
Serve the cake with raspberries and a little icing sugar, or whipped cream if you prefer.
HMMMM :)


RECIPE
Strawberry Yogurt Cake (Serves 10-12)
Adapted from zsuzsaisinthekitchen.blogspot.sg

Ingredients:
For the cake layer:
3 egg whites
a pinch of salt
4 tablespoons (50g) sugar
4 tablespoons (48g) plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the strawberry mousse:
1 1/4 cups (300ml) whipping cream
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1 vanilla sugar
2 cups (240ml) plain (or Greek) yogurt
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest [optional] - I omitted this
450g fresh strawberries
2 envelopes (2 tablespoons/ 14.4g) plain gelatin
4 tablespoon (60ml) cold water more strawberries for decoration [optional]

Method:
1. To make the base, first add a pinch of salt to the egg whites. Whisk the egg whites until they turn foamy.
2. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
3. Use your hand to fold in the sifted flour and baking powder.
4. Transfer the mixture into a line and greased 9-inch Springform pan.
5. Smooth the mixture with a spatula and bake at 185°C (365°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted into the cake emerges cleanly.
6. Allow the cake to cool in the pan.
7. Add the gelatin into cold water and give it a stir. Set this aside for about 5 minutes.
8. Place a mixing bowl in an ice bath. Add the cream into the mixing bowl and whisk until the cream is dense.
9. Add the sugar and continue to whip for another minute or so. The cream should be thick. Place this in the fridge.
10. Hull and slice the strawberries, then blend them. Pour the strawberry mixture into a bowl.
11.Add the yogurt, lemon zest and sugar into the strawberry mixture and mix with a whisk until smooth. Set this aside.
12. Melt the gelatin on very low heat - don't allow the mixture to boil!
13. Remove from heat and add about 1/2 cup of strawberry mixture to the gelatin. Whisk to combine.
14. Pour this into the remaining strawberry mixture, and whisk until you get a uniform mixture.
15. Fold the whipped cream gently into the strawberry mixture. Set this aside.
16. Remove the lining from the base of the cake. Place the cake back into the Springform pan.
17. Pour the strawberry mixture into the pan, over the cake.
18. Smooth the top with a spatula and chill the cake for at least 3 hours (overnight if you can).
19. Serve the cake with raspberries and a little icing sugar, or whipped cream if you prefer.



3 comments:

  1. Hi Diana,

    This cake is very interesting! It is made with a cake base that is made of egg whites and a strawberry mousse layer that is made of yogurt... With generous fresh raspberries, I would say hmmmm... too :p

    Zoe

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Diana! I love mousse cakes too and this is such a pretty one!

    ReplyDelete