Layers of sliced strawberries, whipped cream and mascarpone cheese with Matcha Tea flavored angel food cake
Local fresh strawberries have a long window of availability in the Chicago area, thanks to the three varieties that grow well in our climate. “June Bearing Strawberries” produce a crop during a two-to-three week period in early spring.
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours to overnight
Yield: 8 servings
For the Matcha Tea Flavored Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
1 cup sugar (210 g/7.5 oz)
1 tsp Japanese Matcha Tea powder
½ tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp salt
1 cup cake flour (113g/4oz)
10 egg whites, or 1 ½ cups of liquid egg whites (496g/17.5 oz)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a sheet pan, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
Whisk together, 1/3 of the sugar, Matcha Tea powder, cream of tartar and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Sift together 1/3 of the sugar and cake flour in a small bowl. Set aside.
Combine the egg whites, vanilla and the remaining 1/3 of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, and heat the mixture while whisking gently, until it reaches 110 degrees F. Transfer to a mixer fitted with a whip attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light, foamy and very soft peaks just begin to form, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the sugar-tea mixture and continue beating until the mixture becomes very thick, holds stiff peaks, and is the texture of shaving cream, about 3 minutes.
Remove bowl from the mixer and gently but quickly fold in the flour mixture just until thoroughly combined – DO NOT OVER MIX – about 1 minute.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center, about 20 minutes. Transfer cake to cooling rack and cool completely, about 2 hours or overnight (cake can be made a day ahead).
Run a knife around the edge of the sheet pan, and invert cake onto cutting board. Remove parchment paper from cake and discard. Cut completely cooled cake into small cubes.
For the Whipped Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
3 Tbl sugar
Instructions
Whip together the cream, mascarpone and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl twice during mixing, about 4 minutes. Hold cold until ready to use.
For the Macerated Strawberries
Ingredients
2 quarts strawberries, rinsed, hulled, sliced
2 Tbl sugar
Instructions
Toss strawberries and sugar together in a large bowl until strawberries begin to release their juices and sugar begins to dissolve, about 2 minutes. Set aside, stirring occasionally.
Assembling the Parfaits
Matcha Tea flavored angel food cake, diced
Whipped mascarpone cream
Macerated strawberries
In a parfait glass, fill bottom third with several pieces of the diced cake, top with a generous tablespoon of the macerated strawberries and their liquid, top with a generous tablespoon of the mascarpone cream, top with some more of the diced cake, and finish with a large dollop of the whipped mascarpone cream.
Repeat with remaining parfait glasses.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 2 hours and then serve.