Pinky up Y'all

Strawberry Mousse Cake

Now, I don't want to get all cheesy and romantic about baking a cake but really now, when the flower hits all of that soupy gross eggy concoction it really turns into something beautiful. It gets thick and full giving it the potential of being a successful cake. Does that mean it will be successful? No. No it does not. That's just my own two cents.

Have you ever made a strawberry mousse cake? Yah, me either. And yes ... I realize I just asked a question and answered it for you like Dora the Explorer.

As of lately and when I say lately I mean like over the last few years (when many girls, old ladies, and moms discovered Pinterest) I became an addicted pinner. Hi, I am Hannah and I am a pinoholic. Anyway, I have discovered many recipes. A lot of them are misleading and mean and the pictures are completely unrealistic. Yet I continue to bake from it. I came across the strawberry mousse cake (credit to http://www.beccas-baking-blog.com/2013/06/strawberry-mousse-cake.html)

It looked absolutely fancy and elegant. Two things which I am not. And I tend to overcompensate with my baking.

You know how they say people who are good at gardening have a green thumb? Well I am perfectly adequate at baking so what does that make me? A red thumb for the hot fires of the oven? No.  Just no. That was dumb. Plus I don't deserve a colorful thumb till I am more than just adequate. Ok but don't you hate those people who are just naturally good at things? I can honestly say I am NOT a natural baker. It's taking me many batches of salty cookies that were more similar to biscuits. What was a recipe anyway? It took me many years to realize what exactly a recipe did. And what exactly flour and baking soda contribute to a recipe.

Now, back on track. For this cake I had to make a white chocolate collar for the cake. I've never made a collar before. I know baking is considered an art but I am not taking this cake for a walk around the block. The general idea of the collar is to hold in the mousse before it fully chills.

As for the mousse, I have already mentioned I am not a fancy person so, no, I have never made mousse. It honestly scares the crap out of me and I am writing this as I impatiently wait for this cake to chill overnight. So for all I know this might be a humbling failure post. We shall see...

The cake part was easy. That's all I have to say about that. I am hoping you read that in a Forest Gump accent. If not it's ok. I make myself laugh more than I make others laugh.

Ahhhh!! It turned out SO much better than I thought. I am feelin' pretty dang fancy. Pinky up y'all and lets eat us some mousse cake. 

Cake Instructions:

(Also, European recipes are annoying...)

•   1 large egg

•   Caster sugar - 2oz

•   Unsalted butter - 2oz

•   Self raising flour - 2oz

•   1 tsp vanilla extract 

1.            Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line one 15cm/6inch round cake tin.

2.            Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until fluffy and pale.

3.            Separate the egg and whisk the yolk and vanilla together in a jug and add to the butter mix a little at a time, folding it in to add air to the mixture.

4.            Sift in the flour and fold that in also.

5.            Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks and then fold those into the batter until you cannot see any white in the mixture.

6.            Spoon into the cake tin and smooth evenly.  Make a dip in the centre of the mixture with a spoon so the cake bakes flat.

7.            Bake for 25-30 minutes, until risen and springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8.            Allow to cool in its tin before removing and plating it. 

Chocolate Collar Instructions:

•   60g/2oz white chocolate chips

•   20g/0.7g strawberry chocolate buttons

1.            Melt the chocolate in two heatproof bowls over saucepans of gently simmering water.

2.            Meanwhile, use a piece of string or a measuring tape to measure the circumference of the cake (should be about 48cm/19inches).

3.            Cut out a strip of greaseproof paper which is 1cm/0.5inches longer than the length you measured and 7.5cm/3inches tall.

4.            Use pastry brushes to coat the paper with the chocolate, creating thick stripes with the white chocolate and thin ones with the strawberry, trying to space them evenly.  Be sure to make the coating as thick as possible and use all the chocolate.  Paint right to the edge of one short side and both long sides.  Leave 1cm/0.5inches uncoated on the other short side.

5.            Allow to firm up slightly, so that the chocolate has thickened and is no longer runny.

6.            Carefully place the strip around the cake.  Make sure the base of the strip touches the plate and the two short ends match up.  Press against the cake to make sure there are no gaps between it and the chocolate collar or the filling will escape.

7.            Chill in the fridge. 

Chocolate Mousse Instructions: 

•   125g/4.5oz strawberries, plus 7 for decorating

•   1 tbsp lemon juice

•   115g/4oz white chocolate chips

•   1/2 tbsp gelatin

•   25ml/1fl.oz warm water

•   225ml/8fl.oz double cream

•   15g/0.5oz icing sugar 

•   Pink food colouring (optional)

1.            Cut the tops off the strawberries and then blend into a purée in a food processor or using a stick blender.

2.            Pass the purée through a fine meshed sieve into a clean bowl to remove any excess pulp and seeds.

3.            Add the lemon juice and mix in.

4.            Melt the chocolate chips in a large, heatproof bowl placed over a pan of lightly simmering water.  Set aside.

5.            Add the gelatin to the 1 fl oz water and leave for a few minutes.

6.            Put 65ml/2fl.oz into a saucepan with the icing sugar and sit over a gentle heat until it is warm.

7.            Add the gelatin and stir continuously over the low heat for 5 minutes so the gelatin dissolves.  DO NOT LET IT BOIL.

8.            Pour the cream/gelatin mix into the white chocolate and beat until it is smooth.

9.            Add the purée and mix in.  At this stage you can add a couple of drops of pink colouring if you wish to brighten up the colour.

10.        Whip the remaining cream into soft peaks and then fold into the chocolate mix until incorporated.

11.        Pour on top of the cake.  If you want, drop five drops of food colouring at random points on the mousse and use a toothpick/skewer to swirl them into a pattern.

12.        Return to the fridge and leave to set for about 3 hours.

13.        Carefully remove the greaseproof paper from the chocolate collar.  It should come away easily if the chocolate is thick enough.

14.        Cut the tops off the remaining strawberries.  Place six of them around the outside of the cake.  Cut the last one into six pieces lengthwise and arrange into a star pattern in the centre of the cake.