White Chocolate Strawberry Triffle

trifle1

In summer, it is often too hot to bake. But I have never wanted to miss a homemade dessert at the weekend, so I always look for a lot of no-bake desserts in July and August. Trifles have always worked for me this far – especially since I discovered something really neat.

trifle3

You can melt a bar of white chocolate in Rama heavy cream and beat the cream until stiff. You get a kind of mousse then which tastes like white chocolate and fits perfectly the consictency and aroma of juicy berries or other fruit.

trifle2

After going to a strawberry field, we had picked a huge amount of strawberries which I did not want to transform into jam. That is why I made these gorgeous triffles. 4 ingredients and about 15 minutes prep time, do I need to say more? Go ahead and try yourself.

White Chocolate Strawberry Triffle

(makes about 3 servings)

100 g white chocolate
250 ml (1 cup) Rama heavy cream
90 g (3 oz.) strawberries
1/2 cup chocolate crispies (I used Nesquik ABC)

First, you should prepare the heavy cream.
Chop the white chocolate and dissolve it in the cream over low heat in a small saucepan. Let the mixture cool overnight in the fridge.

Cut the strawberries into small cubes. You might add a little vanilla to the pieces.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff.

Layer chocolate crispies, cream and strawberries in cups. Serve immediately.

Happiness Cake

Hey guys, it has been a few busy days around here. Because of my exhibition, which is coming soon, it is auite hard to document my baking… :/

Happiness Cake2

In these days full of [mental] action, I have been craving especially one thing: NUTELLA. The good thing about this stuff is its flexibility. Put it anywhere and it will be a hit (we are talking about sweets right here, remember). And if you want to share a chocolaty melty dessert with someone you like or you are alone and hungry or frustrated or both, I have an idea for you. Only with a few ingredients you can make one or two persons happy. And don’t feel guilty if one of these is you.

Happiness Cake3
All you have to do is bake this tiny cake in a 10 cm (4´´) round pan, slice up some strawberries and whip up cream.

Happiness Cake5

Then put nutella (as much as you like) onto the warm cake layer. Then place the strawberry slices on top.

Put on some cream. More strawberries.

Happiness Cake4

2nd cake layer on top,some more cream, decoration, done. Takes all in all about 15 minutes and will make you happy for much longer.

Happiness Cake1

Happiness Cake

makes about 2 servings (depending on your apetite :D)

60 g butter (1/2 stick)
50 g sugar (1/6 cup)
1 egg
75 g all purpose flour (2/3 cup)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

Whisk together the flour baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the egg and stir until fully and incorporated. Now add the dry ingredients and stir until the dough is smooth.

Transfer the mixture into an oiled pan and bake about 12 minutes or until a toothpicker comes out clean.
Cut the cake into two layery and put nutella on the hot bottom. Let it cool a little, then go on with strawberries and cream.

Then: dig in.

Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

Ladies love flowers. I love them, too, although I would not say I am a real lady. But, you know, I had some cake around… it wanted the flowers so bad I gave the to it. Yep, I kinda killed my bouquet for women’s day, it was just the right thing to do.

Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

What I am talking about here is a fluffy, creamy dreamy cake with fresh strawberries. A sponge cake layer is soaked with thinned strawbery jam and a thick mascarpone and strawberry cream layer covers the moist dough.

Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

To give this beauty a special outward appearance, put a ring of ladyfingers around it and tie with ribbon. Top with fresh flowers. As this season everything is going to be about pastel colours, I these light pink ones were perfect. So cute!

Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

(for round 10´´ pan; 12 servings)

sponge cake:

2 eggs
100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
100g (1 cup – 1 tbsp) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

2 tbsp strawberry jam
1 tbsp water

cream:

200 ml (4/5 cup) heavy cream
250 g (8 oz.) mascarpone
3 tbsp powdered sugar
300 g (10 oz.) fresh strawberries

decoration:

mini marshmallows
fresh flowers
240 g (8 oz.) ladyfingers

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Cream eggs, vanilla and sugar on high speed for about 1 minute. You should be able to see lots of bubbles in the batter. Add dry ingredients and incorporate them. Oil a round 26 cm (10´´) pan and bake for about 10 minutes until a toothpicker comes out clean.

In a small bowl, combine strawberry jam and water. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is almost homogenous. Spread it all over the sponge cake with a teaspoon. This will make the cake moist.

Beat the heavy cream in a bowl on high speed until stiff. Beat in mascarpone on low speed. Add powdered sugar and incorporate shortly.
Wash strawberries and cut into small cubes. Carefully stir the fruit pieces into the cream.

Put a cake ring aroung the sponge layer and pour the cream on top. Smooth it down. Let sit for about 1 hour, then remove the ring carefully and decorate.

Now do what is good for you and have a bite.