Strawberry mascarpone cake

This cake is a stunning celebration of summer. At the peak of the strawberry season the best strawberries have intense fragrance and flavour. In this recipe they are layered with coconut meringue and mascarpone to make a beautiful dessert.

Credit: Tammi Kwok

• serves

  12-15

• prep

  40 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 500 g strawberries

Coconut meringue

• 380 g egg whites
• 130 g caster sugar
• 280 g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 60 g almond meal
• 140 g desiccated coconut
• 120 g shredded coconut

Mascarpone filling

• 1 kg mascarpone
• 150 g caster sugar
• 3 eggs, separated

Instructions

1. To make the coconut meringue, preheat oven to 150ºC. Place egg whites in an electric mixer and whisk, adding the caster sugar a little at a time, until firm peaks form. Fold icing sugar manually.
2. Combine almond meal with both coconuts and gently fold in until well combined. It’s important to do this slowly but efficiently in order to maintain volume.
3. Cut out 3 large sheets of baking paper. Trace a 24cm circle in each. Place the paper, circle side down, onto 3 separate baking trays, and divide the meringue between them. Carefully spread it out so you have three 24cm meringue discs. Bake for 45 mins, or until completely firm. 
4. To make the mascarpone filling. Place mascarpone, 100 g of caster sugar and egg yolks in an electric mixer and whisk until firm. In a separate bowl whisk egg whites with the remaining 50 g caster sugar until firm peaks form. Take ½ of the meringue and fold into mascarpone mix to soften it, then fold in remainder of meringue.
5. To assemble, place the first meringue disc on a serving board or plate. Fill with a third of the mascarpone mix. Press a third of the strawberries into this mix. Place a second meringue disc over this mix and cover withanother third of the mascarpone and strawberries. Top with final meringue. mascarpone and strawberries. Before serving, dust with some extra icing sugar and caramelise with a blowtorch.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.