Strawberry Chiffon cake with a light custard pastry cream is still my favourite dessert that I enjoy all year round. I like to decorate with fresh whipped cream, toasted almonds and a Kalua chocolate drizzle. The chiffon and drizzle recipe were given to me by my good friend Enza.
For the Chiffon cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup safflower oil
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup of water
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
Filling and Topping:1 -2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup toasted sliced balanced almonds
2 cups freshly whipped cream to decorate
For the Chocolate-kahlua Drizzle:
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of Kahlua, just keep adding small drops while stirring to desired drizzle consistency
For the Custard Pastry Cream:
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose unbleached flour
1 cup of whole milk
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup of 35% whipping cream
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 325F.
Use a 10 inch non-stick angel food pan with built-in little "feet" to prop the pan upside down while cooling.
In a medium sized bowl beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk so that the ingredients are well mixed. Add in the oil, egg yolks, water and vanilla. Stir until it is well incorporated. Then beat with mixer on medium speed until the mixture is smooth (3 minutes). Gently fold beaten egg whites using a spatula, into the batters. Do not over mix. Bake for 55 minutes at 325F. Increase temperature to 350F and bake for another 10 minutes.
Carefully invert cake over rack to cool. Once cooled, run an offset spatula between cake and cake tin to loosen cake.
To make Custard Cream:
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, flour and 1/4 cup of milk.
In a heavy saucepan, heat remaining milk just until bubbles form around edge of pan, and gradually whisk into egg mixture. Return the entire mixture back into the heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and bubbly. Transfer custard to a bowl and whisk in vanilla extract. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard. Let cool completely.
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cooled custard until smooth. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream.
To Assemble the Cake:
Using a serrated knife, slice the cake into 2 equal halves. Spread the sliced strawberries on the bottom half. Spread the custard cream to cover all the strawberries. Place the other half of the cake, cut side down on top. Frost the cake with the 2 cups of whipped cream, leaving some to pipe rosettes around the top edge of the cake. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Decorate with a sliced strawberry and drizzle with the chocolate kailua glaze.
1. Oven should always be preheated to the correct temperature before placing cake in the oven.
2. Always use correct measuring cups and spoons. Use liquid measuring cups for fluids, such as oil or water. And dry measuring cups for larger powders such flour and sugar.
3. Flour should be spooned into a measuring cup, not poured in. Once you spoon flour, do not shake or pack the measuring cup. Carefully level off excess with a knife. You should never use the measuring cup to scoop out flour from a container. Even a tiny bit of too much flour creates a dense product.
4. When measuring liquid ingredients, fill the cup to the appropriate line and place cup on a flat surface. Always view at eye level as you pour the liquid. Viewing from the top is incorrect, because water surface curves downward.
5. This delicate cake must be cooled upside down to prevent it from collapsing.
