Strawberry Mousse Jelly Cake with Crumble Topping

I don't know about you, but I use cookbooks less and less frequently to look for foodie inspiration. I love my cookbooks, I have a huge and colourful pile. I love the glossy pictures, the feel of it and the smell of it. But if I'm looking for something in particular I mainly browse the internet for inspiration--probably because I'm lazy and its quick, and the mind is instantly injected with a million and one ideas.
I pore over my cookbooks when I'm sitting back and relaxing with a cuppa, but they're more occasionally used than internet recipes, sadly.
I love seeing a cookbook pried open in my shabby chic cookbook stand on my kitchen buffet, it always makes me want to bake and bake and bake. Every time I come into the kitchen I look at it and think of my next creation. There's always something in that stand waiting to be made. At the moment it's Margun Carless' cookbook Love Menu, spread at a page sporting gorgeous poached pears in champagne. I can't wait to make that on Wednesday night for hubby and our late dinner dessert.
But sometimes I want to make something that is an original of sorts. Something different and experimental and that has arisen from me. And then I come up with some sort of concoction. As I previously mentioned, this is the month of strawberries. I actually had a dream about this cake I came up with. On later research I saw similar cakes, sort of a combination between a  strawberry charlotte, and also those gorgeous pink mousse cakes with the jelly layer on top (Mirror cakes, I think they're called)
Anyway, I ignored all recipes and just went into the kitchen and started banging around. I had no idea how it was all going to work out, and actually thought I'd made a big fat flop while it was all setting...until I cut a slice out of that cake.
Oh my. It was delicious and visually as I had imagined it to be--layers of strawberry mousse, buttercake and a thick line of bright red jelly in the centre, topped with grilled crumble and roasted strawberries. Delicious!
You will need two different sized round pans for this recipe, the larger being a springform pan. The cake and the jelly layer are made in a smaller pan in order that the mousse sits around the cake and the jelly layer. 

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE JELLY CAKE WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING (A Lick the Spoon Original)

1 buttercake, made in an 18x18cm round pan
85g packet strawberry jelly (jello) crystals 
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cold water
800g strawberries, hulled
1 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
6 1/2 tsp gelatin powder
1/4 cup lemon juice
500ml thickened cream 
4 tbsp. sugar, extra 
85g strawberry jelly (jello) crystals, extra
1 cup boiling water, extra
3/4 cup cold water, extra 
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup toasted muesli
1 tbsp butter or margarine
 roasted strawberries

To begin with, take one 85g packet of strawberry jelly crystals and combine it with 1 cup of boiling water in a medium sized bowl. Stir until the crystals dissolve, then add 3/4 cup cold water. Grease a 18cm x18cm round pan and line with plastic wrap, ensuring there is an overhang of 2 inches. Pour the liquid jelly mixture into this and place in the refrigerator to set.
Puree the strawberries in a food blender until fine and no lumps remain. Push puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, discard residue.
Place the lemon juice in a small bowl. Evenly shower the gelatin over the top and set aside to soften for a few minutes.
Place puree and white granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and place on low heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles start appearing around the edges of the pan. Add the lemon gelatin mixture and stir until well incorporated into the puree and dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside, to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, whip the cream and extra sugar in a medium bowl, until firm peaks appear.
Take a 20x20cm round springform pan and grease the sides. Line the bottom and the sides with baking paper.
Cut the buttercake down the centre horizontally. Place the bottom half in the centre of the springform pan. Remove the jelly from the refrigerator, using the plastic wrap overhang to lift it from the pan. Gently position the jelly layer on the bottom layer of the cake. Place the top layer of the cake over the jelly layer.
Gently fold the strawberry puree mixture through the whipped cream until well combined. Pour this cream mixture over the top of the cake. (If you were like me and were too hasty and didn't let the strawberry puree cool down enough and it melted the cream, do not fret! It will be liquidy and the cake will "float" but it will still work just fine!) Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to set, for two or more hours. When the mousse layer has set, take the extra jelly crystals in a medium bowl and pour the extra cup of boiling water over them. Stir until well dissolved and then add the extra 3/4 cup of cold water. Set aside until this mixture reaches room temperature, then pour over the top of the cake for the final layer of jelly. Place in refrigerator to set.
To make the crumble to top the cake, combine brown sugar, flour and toasted muesli in a bowl. Rub the butter into this mixture using your fingers until a crumbly dough forms. Lay this mixture on a lined baking tray under the grill on high for a minute, or until golden brown. Remove and cool, then add roasted strawberries.
When the final jelly layer has set on the cake, remove the side of the springform pan very gently. Carefully peal back the sides of the baking paper from the mousse. Serve chilled with a sprinkling of the strawberry crumble mix.

Serves 10-12

Strawberry Heart Cupcake Toppers

I've probably mentioned it before, but one of my all-time favourite ingredients in the kitchen is gelatine. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the terminology though. Most of my viewers are American and over in US the popular term is jello (for the flavoured gelatine at least). I don't know how many times I've been asked wheat "jelly" is--well, it's jello! And gelatine is unflavoured jello. Gelatine or gelatin comes in powder form, and jelly in crystal form due to the added sugar, colouring and flavouring. In this recipe I use both, so I hope it's not too confusing for everyone!
I discovered this recipe over at Six Sister's Stuff and the author made these funny little gelatine nibbles for her little son as a snack. It' great, because they don't have to be refrigerated like normal jellies to stay firm, because the gelatine is so concentrated. I had a hard time removing these from my silicone molds, but it helps if you ease one side from the edge with the help of a butter knife, then just push the jelly out and voila! It is so gelatinous, it won't tear with your efforts. Get those biceps in there!
I made these cute little cupcake toppers in a silicone heart mold for an engagement party. They looked really cute and unique atop these chocolate fudge cupcakes that were drizzled with pink tinted white chocolate ganache. Unfortunately all the little kids at the party got to them before they could be appreciated by the adults. A winner at a little girl's party too, I'm guessing. You can add a little edible glitter to the mixture before pouring them into the molds too if you like a little glitz and glimmer in your food. Now that would go down well at a little girls princess party!

STRAWBERRY HEART CUPCAKE TOPPERS (from Six Sister's Stuff)

1/3 cup boiling water
1 packet (3oz) flavoured jelly crystals
2 tbsp. unflavoured gelatin

Place the water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Shower the jelly crystals and the gelatin over the water and stir until dissolved. Quickly pour the mixture into heart shaped silicone molds and refrigerate for about half an hour until firm.

Strawberry Mousse Cups

Oddly enough, when I was a child and even a teenager, I hated food. I was never hungry, and it was always forced into me because I wouldn't eat otherwise. In fact, it started at a very young age and I became quite sick from eating so little. Then there were the thousands of nights I would still be sitting at the dinner table poking at my silver-beet and peas and concocting sly ideas in that little mind how to stifle the food from the plate without eating it so I could leave the table. Tissues were handy, as was the small ledge under the table near my chair, that soon became the burial grounds for carrots and fried zucchini and bits of potato.
The first time I ever felt hungry was after a day of skiing, when I was 16 years old. I was shocked! Now, my love for food has grown at such a rapid pace, and I blame it on working in gourmet hospitality over the last 4 years. My mind has exploded with ideas. I dream food, I create food, I even live in food. You know how it is, living with a toddler. I don't know why I bother sometimes. White is an absolute no-no, and showering seems near useless, for as soon as I'm fresh and clean again, a Vegemite toast is smeared down my leg and I find bits of custard in my hair. He catapults pureed apple across the room with his spoon, and a few hours later, after answering the door and going down the street, I happen to look in the mirror and find smeared fruit dried to my face. So yes...I live in food.
Food has finally become a part of life. It certainly helps that my husband is a conosure of sorts and happens to cook scrumptious meals for me now and then.
But food! It's about to become something I cant bear to eat, smell and cook. Salt and vinegar chips were all I could keep down last pregnancy, so I fear a little for the frequency of this blog over the next few months. Stay tuned though. I have a large amount of recipes I have made and photographed over the year that I have not had time to put up on here. Just don't expect  me to be as enthusiastic with my food descriptions!

I'm still whipping out recipes from Marcela's Kitchen Tea Party!

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE CUPS

3x 85g packets Strawberry Jelly Crystals

3 cups boiling water

375ml can evaporated milk

strawberries to garnish

Dissolve two packets of  jelly crystals in 2 cups of boiling water. Refrigerate until chilled, but not set.

Meanwhile, beat evaporated milk for a few minutes on high until thick and foamy. Stir the cooled jelly through evaporated milk.

Pour into shot glasses or small cups. Refrigerate to set, covered in plastic wrap.

Dissolve the remaining jelly crystals in 1 cup of boiling water. When cool, gently ladle over the top of the set creamy jelly, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate to set.

Serve with strawberries and cream if desired.

NOTES: you may use any type of jelly crystals and any type of fruit. You can even jazz it up by mixing fresh fruit or grated chocolate through the mousse. I cannot tell you how many shot glasses this recipe makes, but it will make over 30. I ended up using the remaining mousse for another recipe which will follow, so you may like to halve the recipe or serve in glasses or molds larger than shot glasses if you wish, unless you have a large group to serve. Keep in mind you will definitely want more than one!

Coming soon--another way to use this delicious mousse recipe!
YUM!

I don't Cook on Days that End in Y

Good news then, all ye non-cookers! This is a cooking-free experience. There is no need to turn the oven on at all. So you can still hold your dinner parties this summer without getting hot and flustered in the kitchen...well....at least while making this dessert.
After a hefty meal, while every one moves their belts along to the next notch, I like to peek at the upcoming dessert and know its light enough for everyone to still enjoy without overdoing it. Puddings are great, but can be heavy and need to be served after a lighter, or smaller, meal.
This recipe is great for summer. Refreshing, light and served chilled, this easy and quick recipe will blow your socks off...and your guests!

STRAWBERRY AND PORT WINE JELLY MOUSSE

2x 85g packets Port Wine Jelly Crystals

1x 85g packet Strawberry Jelly Crystals

3 cups boiling water

375ml can evaporated milk

strawberries to garnish

Dissolve Port Wine jelly crystals in 2 cups of boiling water. Refrigerate until chilled, but not set.

Meanwhile, beat evaporated milk for a few minutes on high until thick and foamy. Stir the cooled jelly through evaporated milk.

Pour into 8-10 individual dessert glasses. Refrigerate to set, covered in plastic wrap.

Cut strawberries into slices length-ways. Decorate the mousse surface in each glass.

Dissolve the strawberry jelly crystals in 1 cup of boiling water. When cool, ladle over the strawberries, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate to set.

Serve as is or with cream and an extra garnish.

NOTES: you may use any type of jelly crystals and any type of fruit. You can even jazz it up by mixing fresh fruit or grated chocolate through the mousse.