Chocolate - strawberry mascarpone cake

The Biscuit:

Preheat oven to 180° C.
Cover the bottom of 22 cm spring form with baking paper. Spread with plenty of butter the paper and ring sides of the form and set aside.

In a small bowl or cup, mix icing sugar and morello cherry brandy (or preferences alcohol), stir well and set aside.

Break chocolate into pieces and place in a heat-resistant bowl. Pour a little water in a saucepan and place the bowl over the pan (making sure that water does not touch bottom of bowl). Set the pan over a gentle heat and warm the water until the chocolate has melted. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.

In another bowl mix eggs and sugar and beat with a mixer to foam for 5 minutes.

In a dry bowl, mix the flour and cocoa and add the mixture to melted chocolate, mix well - until chocolate form... Gradually add chocolate crumbs to egg mixture and again mix well.

Pour the dough into the prepared spring form and bake in preheated to 180° C oven for about 20 minutes.

Leave to cool in the spring form on a wire rack. Spray the warm but not hot biscuit with sweetened cherry-brandy and set aside.

The Cream:

Soak for 5 minutes, 10 g gelatine in 3-4 tablespoons cold water. Warm the milk and add vanilla extract. Add the soaked gelatine to the warm milk and stir until completely dissolved.

In a bowl mix the mascarpone cheese and flavored milk and mix well.

In heat-resistant bowl, mix egg whites and powdered sugar and beat with a mixer over a double boiler, as do not let the water to boil, but simmer gently for about 4-5 minutes. Dip finger from time to time into the mixture and shortly before it gets hot - remove to prevent it cooking. Continue beating with mixer for another 5-8 minutes - or until soft picks form. Allow to cool and gradually add to Mascarpone cheese mixture. Stir well.

Pour the mousse over the biscuit, flatten it well and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

The Topping:

Place frozen strawberries in a saucepan and add 50 ml of water. Gently simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the strawberry compote through fine sieve into a bowl.

Soak the gelatine in 5 g 2-3 tablespoons cold water for 5 minutes, and dissolve in the warm strawberry compote and leave to cool.

Assemble the Cake:

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and arrange over the cream layer fresh strawberries to your prefernce - whole, halved, sliced ...

Pour thoroughly over the strawberries the cooled strawberry compote and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Once the jelly is tight, carefully run a sharp knife between cake and sides of the spring form and remove the ring. Place the cake onto a suitable cake plate. Store the cake in the refrigerator right before serving.

Serve the cake chilled as a dessert, with preferred hot or cold drink or : ) or merely indulge it...

Very airy and impressive cake, with an amazingly balanced taste - that you can safely use for an excuse to "Eat dessert first" ;)