Strawberry-Mousse Cake

For the Mousse: 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved, plus 2 cups sliced strawberries 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice 8 oz white chocolate, chopped 1-1/4 tsps unflavored gelatin 2 cups whipping cream 2 tbsps icing sugar For the cake: cooking spray 1 cup sifted cake flour + more for baking sheet 5 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks 3/4 cup white sugar pinch salt 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest 6 tbsps unsalted butter, melted For the ganache: 2/3 cup whipping cream 12 oz white chocolate chopped pinch salt 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice whole and halves strawberries for garnish

1. Make the mousse; Puree halved strawberries in a food processor. Pass through a very fine sieve into a bowl (you should have about 1 cup of puree) Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice; set aside. 2. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth; set aside. 3. Put 1/4 cup cool water into a small bowl and sprinkled gelatin over the top; let stand until softened, about 5 min. Stir 1/4 cup cream and the sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin has dissolved. Pour into bowl with the melted chocolate, stir until smooth. Whisk in 3/4 cup strawberry puree; reserve remaining 1/4 cup puree. 4. Put remaining 1-3/4 cup cream into the bowl of mixer and beat until medium peaks form. Whisk one third of the whipped cream into the choc. mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream using a large rubber spatula. Refigerate 1 hour. Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into the sliced berries. Fold berries into mousse; refridge 1 hour. 5. Preheat oven to 425. Make the cake: Coat a 12"x18"x1" rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray (cookie sheet with sides). Line bottom with parchment paper; and spray parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. 6. Put eggs, egg yolks, and sugar into the heatproof bowl and put over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mix is warm and the sugar has melted, about 2 min. Beat on high speed until egg mixture is pale, thickened, and has cooled, about 6 min. 7.Sift together flour and salt over the top of egg mixture, sprinkle with lemon zest. Using large rubber spatula, carefully fold the flour mix into the egg mixture,cutting through center and lifting gently over sides. When the flour is almost incorporated, pour butter down side of bowl, and gently fold in to incorporate. 8. Pour batter into prepared sheet; smooth top. Bake until center springs back when lightly touches, 7 to 12 min. Invert, and unmold cake onto a parchment-lined wire rack; peel parchment from cake, cool completely. 9. Assemble the cake. Cut cake crosswise into 3 rectangles. Set one layer, top side down, on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with half the remaining strawberry puree. Spread a 3/4" thick layer of mousse over the top (about 2 cups) Top with second caske layer, top side up. Brush with remaining strawberry puree, and spread with a 3/4" thick layer of mousse. Place third cake layer on top, top side up. Refrigerate at least 2 hours (preferable overnight) Trim sides of cake to be straight. 10. Make the ganache: Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Pour hot cream over the choco; let stand 5 min. Stir until smooth. Stir in salt and lemon juice. Let stand until ganache is pourable and has cooled slightly. Pour ganache over top of cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Refridgerate assemblied. Decorate with remaining strawberries.

I made this cake for Fathers Day 2006. It is delicious!! I found that the mousse needs to spend a little longer in the fridge firming up (and perhaps next time a little more gelatin) When I put the cake in the fridge once it was layers I wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap and then with foil and put it into a loaf pan to help it hold it's shape. And believe it or not for probably the first time ever I found that there was too much ganache to put on the cake. However, if you make it all you can take the leftovers and make it into chocolate truffles.....coat in cocoa or chocolate.........yummmmmmyyyyyyy........ It is quite the process to make this cake but does not really take too much actual cooking time.........well worth the effort!