STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE GATEAU DESSERT RECIPE: ADAPTED FROM WOMEN'S WEEKLY


About a year and a half ago, I went to a dinner planned by my friend's wife who I later got to know pretty well.  She's another fantastic cook and loves cooking.  She's made a rosemary chicken with roasted vegetables and this amazing dessert - "Strawberry & Chocolate Gateau".    The best thing about this recipe is that it doesn't look like it requires much ingredients and it looks a lot simpler than other desserts.  It should take up to an hour to prepare and then it needs about an hour to refrigerate before you decorate the cake.  Here's what the exquisite dessert looks like and the recipe below:-

Strawberry Chocolate Gateau

Strawberry Chocolate Gateau - close up

Strawberry Chocolate Gateau recipe
Preparation Time: Up to an hour + 3 hours to refrigerate
Difficulty rating: Relatively easy


Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups (275g) caster sugar
1 cup (100g) hazelnut meal
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
185g dark eating chocolate, melted
20g butter, melted
13/4 cup (430g) thickened cream, whipped125g strawberries, halved

Method
1. Preheat oven to moderate (180/160 degree fan forced) Grease two 20cm springform tins: line base and sides with baking paper, grease paper, sprinkle with cornflour, shake away excess.
2. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form: gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved between each addition. Fold in hazelnut meal, vinegar and extract.
3. Spread meringue mixture evenly into tins: bake about 35 mins or until meringue is crisp. Release sides of tins: cool meringues on base of tins.
4. Combine chocolate and butter in small bowl
5. Remove meringue layers from bases. Place one layer on plate, flat-side down. Spread with half the chocolate mixture, top with half of the cream and the strawberries.
6. Spread flat side of second meringue layer with remaining chocolate mixture, place on top of strawberry layer, chocolate-side down. Cover top of cake with remaining cream. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Dust with sifted cocoa powder before serving, if desired.