Strawberry Cake with Sugar Threads

Ingredients

• 7 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 150 g flour
• 25 g starch
• 5 sheets white gelatin
• 600 g fresh ripe strawberries
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 400 g cream cheese (pure)
• 300 g Low-fat quark
• 100 g sugar
• 3 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 400 ml whipping cream
• 100 g sugar
• 125 ml red fruit juice
• 0.5 packet cake glaze powder (for 250 ml liquid)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

2. 2.

   For the sponge, separate the eggs and beat the yolks with half the sugar until fluffy. Whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, gradually adding the remaining sugar until glossy and firm. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, sift flour with starch over it, and fold everything together. Pour into a parchment-lined springform pan, smooth top, and bake for about 35 minutes; test with a skewer.

3. 3.

   Remove the baked sponge from the oven, cool, release from the mold, and let it fully set on a cooling rack.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile soak gelatin in cold water. Wash and trim strawberries; cut half into small pieces and blend with lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Mix cream cheese with quark, sugar, and vanilla sugar. Warm gelatin lightly in a pot until dissolved. Add two tablespoons of the cheese mixture to the gelatin, stir well, then return to the remaining mixture and fold in. Whip cream stiffly and fold into the mixture. Divide the batter; mix one part with strawberry puree and lime zest.

5. 5.

   Cut the sponge horizontally twice, place one layer on a plate and spread half of the strawberry cream over it. Add a second layer, press lightly, and spread the remaining strawberry cream. Place the third layer, press gently, then cover the entire cake with the light cream cheese mixture.

6. 6.

   Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

7. 7.

   For sugar threads, melt sugar with one tablespoon water in a pot. Lay two skewers slightly offset on each other, dip into caramel, and draw thin strands around the curvature of an oiled bowl (same diameter as the cake). Let them set, then carefully remove from the bowl.

8. 8.

   Whisk fruit juice with cake glaze powder and bring to a boil in a pot.

9. 9.

   Remove from heat, let cool slightly, spread remaining strawberries over the cake, pour glaze over it, add sugar threads on top, and serve.