Strawberry Shortcake

When I came across the Strawberry Shortcake at BreadTalk in Singapore sometime long ago, I was so tempted wanted to taste this beautiful looking little thing, but for just a tiny piece it was sold at S$6.50!  That was costly to me and I know this cake must be real delicious.

So I told myself I must try to look for the recipe to bake this one day no matter how tedious if I have to do one step after another.  I have bookmarked this recipe from Rima of Bisous A Toi  and sourcing from another site Fuji Mama of her Japanese Strawberry Shortcake and finally today I have made this Strawberry Shortcake.  In fact, this is my second time I've baked this.

All my family members gave a two thumbs up for this delicious and yummy cake.  Of course, I will make this again and again, and will put in different type of fruits in the fillings.

Strawberry Shortcake

Adapted from Bisous A Toi

 

Ingredients

Cotton Cake

145g cake flour

15g corn flour

1 egg

5 egg yolks – whisk lightly with a fork

150g unsalted butter

65g fresh milk

5 egg whites

100g caster sugar

¼ tsp salt

250g punnet strawberries

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 160C.  Grease and line a 7” or 8” square baking pan, and wrap the

     the bottom of the pan with aluminium foil.  

2.  Warm the butter and milk (do not boil).  Turn off heat, and stir in the sifted cake and

      corn flour using a wooden spatula.  Transfer to a bigger bowl, and add in the eggs and

      continue to mix till smooth.

3.  In another bowl, whisk the egg whites till frothy.  Add in the salt and add in the sugar

     in 3 addition.  Whisk till soft peak.

4.  Pour 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg/butter mixture and fold in gently.  Pour in the

     rest and fold in gently till combined.  Pour batter into the baking pan and bake it at

     Bain Marie method for about 45 minutes.

Stabilised Whipped Cream

2 tsp gelatin powder

8 tsp cold water

2 cups whipping cream, cold

½ cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1.  Chill mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes.

2.  Pour cold water in the small saucepan.  Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface

     of the water and let stand for 5 minutes.  Place saucepan over the low heat and stir

     constantly with a wooden spoon just until gelatin dissolves.  Removes saucepan from

 heat and cool to room temperature.

3.  Remove the mixing bowl and beaters from the freezer.  In the mixing bowl, combine

    the whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla and whipped until slightly thickened. 

    Then, while slowly beating, gradually pour in the gelatin into the whipped cream

    mixture.  Then, whip the mixture at high speed until slightly stiff.

Simple Sugar Syrup

¼ cup caster sugar

¼ cup water

Method

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water.  Bring the water to a boil,       

     Stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

To assemble the cake:

1. Reserve a handful of nice and prettiest strawberries for decorating the cake.  Dice

the remaining strawberries into small cubes.

2. Slice the sponge cake horizontally into 2 or 3 layers.

3. Place one sponge layer cut-side up on a cake board or serving plate and lightly brush

the surface with the simple syrup.  Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the cake

layer and arrange the dice strawberries over the surface.  Spread an additional layer of

whipped cream over the strawberries.  Brush the cut-side of the second layer with the

simple syrup and place it over the first layer.  Spread a thin layer over top of the cake

and return to fridge to chill for 30 minutes.  Using the leftover cream, pipe out the

cream as decoration.   Chill in fridge for cream to set for an hour or so.   Decorate as

desired and garnish with the reserved strawberries.

I make a little blunder when spreading the cream over and didn't let it set first before piping out.  This is why it is a little soft and wet.  A blunder for an impatient person!!
I will perfect it the next time when I bake this again, of course.

This Strawberry Shortcake is well received by everyone at home!

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