Hazelnut & Chocolate Dacquoise / Dacquoise de Avelãs e Chocolate.

Dacquoise is the theme for this 27th edition of the Sweet World.

Originating in the south of France, dacquoise is a meringue made with very finely chopped nuts folded into the mixture before baking.

This dessert is named after the residents of Dax, a town in southwestern France, and is also occasionally referred to as Palois in reference to the residents of Pau, a neighboring town.

The nutty meringue is piped or spread into shapes (often round discs) and baked until crisp in a low temperature oven.

The dacquoise discs are then often layered with buttercream, sweetened whipped cream or ice cream to create a complete cake.

A popular version is the classic French marjolaine - long, rectangular layers of almond or hazelnut dacquoise interspersed with chocolate or praline buttercream.

While cakes featuring dacquoise may have their own names, they can also be referred to as dacquoise. The term dacquoise can be used to describe a myriad of desserts. Technically dacqoise is the meringue-like layer employed in cake creations but, over the years it has become common to refer to not just the layer but the entire cake as “dacquoise”, giving the term an expanded meaning.

The recipe I'm presenting today is from the fantastic book "Bake Off - Crème de la Crème" by Martin Chiffers & Emma Marsden.

The Dacquoise discs are filled with a layer of chocolate crémeux and dollops of an homemade, mixed berry compote, will give it the necessary sharpness to cut through the richness of the chocolate.

It's a very rich and indulgent dessert and perfect for chocolate lovers!

Chocolate Mirror Glaze cake with Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse / Bolo Espelho de Chocolate com Mousse de Chocolate e Framboesas.

For January and Our Great Bake Off, Ana challenged us to make a mirror glaze cake.

After checking many recipes, I decided to make this one, from Kirsten Tibballs and her gorgeous Chocolate book.

A perfect cake, full of textures and flavours, that put big smiles on the faces of the ones that tried it!

Of course my decoration is a simplified version of Kirsten's fabulous honeycomb decoration but that was my decision to decorate it with fruit, instead of the very sophisticated decoration presented in the book.

The photos are not perfect either as the light was very erratic that day... You know... When you want things to be perfect and "nature" is against you... :(...

I have to confess that I have never made a mirror glazed cake before and I was a bit scared but actually, apart from a few hiccups (my fault), it went pretty well.

It's not perfect and perfectly smooth, because I made a mistake with the glaze.

I cooled the glaze to much and it set very quickly before I could cover the cake completely so, I had to scrap it off (which created rough surface over and around the cake) and I had to remake the glaze once again.

Beet, green apple and coconut yoghurt smoothie / Smoothie de beterraba, maçã verde e iogurte de coco.

Although I love breakfast food, the only thing I really can eat in the morning is a piece of fresh fruit or a smoothie.

Even if I'm not publishing the recipes here, I make a smoothie almost every morning with the ingredients that I have at home.

My smoothies always have fruit, vegetables and usually mint or ginger. I love a hint of ginger in my smoothies.

I decided to publish this suggestion because the combination is truly delicious and I thought it was worth sharing it.

The recipe is from "Everyday Cooking", the Minimalist Baker's new cookbook.

I always use coconut water in my smoothies and not dairy products and this smoothie has yoghurt in it. I almost didn't use the yoghurt but then, I decided to use it, in order to try new combinations.

It is truly delicious and I'm publishing this recipe because the yoghurt really ties everything together perfectly.

Trifle Cheesecake.

The last recipe of the Summer, just before the new season, the "fall" and the Autumn colours.

When I made this cheesecake, I made it for the Sweet World challenge but, then I saw this one and I thought that, for the challenge, it would be more innovative, different and "close" to the traditional layers of the classic trifle.

Saying that, this cheesecake was so good and refreshing that I have to share the recipe with you all anyway.

It's just a different and beautiful way of enjoying a trifle and a cheesecake, all at the same time. Two dessert classics transformed into a super delicious one.

Summer Pudding Cake.

After making, for the first time ever, this Summer Pudding for the Sweet World challenge, an instagram friend sent me the picture of this Summer Pudding Cake, that is featured in this month's Good Housekeeping magazine.

Of course, after I've finally tasted my first Summer Pudding and loved it, I bought the magazine and couldn't resist this version.

The idea of transforming it into a cake sounded fabulous and although the version featured in the magazine is round shaped, I decided to recreate it in a square shape.

It is as easy to make as the original one and very pretty and delicious all the same.

This recipe is not suitable for kids, as it has Crème de Cassis mixed with the fruit juices but you can leave it out of course.

Last year I made homemade Crème de Cassis with the blackcurrants I picked from my friend B. garden and that's the one I used in this recipe and it is so delicious.

I really need to post the recipe for homemade Créme de Cassis here on the blog ASAP...

Meanwhile, the blog and myself, we're going to be in holidays for the next month.

I'll interrupt the holidays just to post the Sweet World round up on the 25th of August but that will be it until de 2nd or 3rd of September.

Until then, Happy Cooking and be as Happy as Summer Bees!

Summer Pudding for the Sweet World Challenge / Pudim de Verão para o Sweet World.

20th of July and it's time for another Sweet World Challenge.

This month and to enjoy all the berries that are in season now, we decided to challenge you to make a British Summer Pudding.

Talking British and Puddings, of course I had to make this fabulous recipe from Regula Ysewijn bible of puddings, her fabulous book "Pride and Pudding" which I previously introduced in this post.

Let's now find out what is a Summer Pudding?

Summer pudding or Summer fruit pudding is a British dessert made of sliced white bread, layered in a deep bowl with fruit and fruit juice.

It is left to soak overnight and turned out onto a plate.

The dessert was most popular from the late 19th to the early 20th century. However, there is no clear record of its origin.

Making summer pudding is much easier if the bread is somewhat stale as this helps the fruit juices soak through the bread, which makes the pudding more pleasant. It is usually served with cream.

The fruits typically used in summer pudding are raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, and blackberries.

According to Regula's book, strawberries are to be avoided as they do not remain pleasant enough to enjoy after a couple of hours or a night of soaking.

Let's make a Summer Pudding then?

Chocolate and cherry berry Pavlova / Pavlova de chocolate, com cerejas e mirtilos.

Life can be funny sometimes.

As I was going to have lunch at a friend's house last Saturday and I was in charge of bringing dessert, I was having a wonder around my "shelf forgotten" books, in order to try to decide what to make.

I picked up this book, the Australian Women's Weekly - Indulgent Cakes and, flicking through it, I found, inside the page of this recipe, a sweet note that someone sent me, about 2 years ago, with a birthday gift (the person I'm talking about, will know what I'm talking about, if she reads this...).

I thought that this could be a good sign and if the note was marking that page, it's because, this time or another, that dessert was supposed to be tested. Therefore, I didn't look further as, the perfect pudding was decided!!

ingredients for the pavlova (serves 10):

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped

4 egg whites

200g caster sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp white vinegar

250g cream cheese, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

40g icing sugar

300ml thickened cream

fresh cherries, with stem attached

method:

Preheat the oven to 120ºC. Draw a 18cm circle on a sheet of baking paper and place it, upside down, on a baking tray.
Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a small pan of simmering water (don't allow the bowl to touch the water) and stir until the chocolate is just melted. Set aside.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating well between each addition and once the sugar has been all added, whisk for a further 7 minutes or until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk until well combined.
Swirl in the melted chocolate.

Place large spoonfuls of the meringue mixture into the circle, smoothing the center.

Bake the meringue for 1 and 1/4 hours, or until dry to the touch.

Turn the oven off the oven and prop the door ajar with a wooden spoon. Let the meringue cool completely inside the oven.

for the cherry and blueberry compote:

300g cherries, pitted

150g blueberries

75g caster sugar

60ml water

80g cherry jam

method:

Put the blueberries, cherries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the fruit has released juices.
Using a slotten spoon, transfer the fruit into a bowl.
Stir the jam into the juices in the pan. Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
Pour the syrup over the cherry mixture and leave to cool completely.

to assemble:
Beat the cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
Gradually beat in the cream, until smooth and combined.
Just before serving, spoon the cream mixture over the pavlova.
Top with the compote and decorate with fresh cherries.

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Às vezes (muitas vezes), a vida é engraçada e prega-nos partidas interessantes!
No Sábado passado, tinha um almoço marcado em casa de amigos e, como já vem sendo hábito, eu estava encarregue de levar a sobremesa.
Sem ter ideia do que fazer ou levar, andava a dar uma vista de olhos por livros, supostamente, esquecidos nas minha prateleiras, quando resolvi dar uma vista de olhos neste livro.
Qual não é o meu espanto, na página desta receita, encontro um "postal" personalizado, que me foi enviado por uma certa pessoa, juntamente com um presente de aniversário super original e criativo, há 2 anos atrás.
A pessoa em referência, se ler este post, saberá a quem e ao que me refiro...
Assim sendo, nem procurei mais, pois se aquele "postal especial" estava a marcar a página da receita, estava decidida a sobremesa a fazer e, sem dúvida, foi a sobremesa perfeita.

Vamos então à receita, do livro lindo "Indulgent Cakes" das super fantásticas "Australian Women's Weekly".

ingredientes para a pavlova (para 10 pessoas):

100g chocolate preto (70% cacau), picado
4 claras de ovo
200g açúcar refinado branco
1 colher sopa de Maizena
1 colher chá de vinagre de vinho branco
250g queijo creme, tipo Philadelphia, amolecido
2 colheres chá de extracto de baunilha
40g açúcar em pó
300ml natas espessas ou para bater
cerejas frescas, com pé

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 120ºC.
Numa folha de papel vegetal, desenhar um círculo de 18cm.
Colocar o papel vegetal, lado do desenho do círculo, virado para baixo, sobre um tabuleiro de ir ao forno.
Ferver água numa panela e baixar o lume.
Colocar o chocolate numa taça e colocar a taça (sem que esta toque na água), sobre a panela da água a ferver.
Mexer, até o chocolate estar derretido. Retirar do lume e reservar.
Colocar as claras de ovo na taça da batedeira eléctrica e bater até obter picos ligeiros.
Adicionar o açúcar, 1 colher de sopa de cada vez, batendo bem entre cada adição.
Quando tiver adicionado todo o açúcar, continuar a bater por mais 7 minutos, ou até a mistura estar macia e brilhante.
Adicionar a Maizena e o vinagre e bater até tudo estar bem incorporado.
Adicionar o chocolate derretido e envolver delicadamente, por forma a dar um efeito marmoreado à mistura.
Colocar a mistura dentro do círculo desenhado no papel vegetal, alisando o centro.
Levar ao forno por cerca de 1 hora e 1/4, ou até a mistura estar seca ao toque.
Desligar o forno, entreabrir a porta do forno (pode prender a porta com uma colher de pau) e deixar a pavlova arrefecer completamente dentro do forno.

para a compota de cerejas e mirtilos:
300g cerejas frescas, sem caroço
150g mirtilos
75g açúcar refinado branco
60ml água
80g doce de cereja (de boas qualidade)

preparação:

Num tacho sobre lume médio, colocar as cerejas, os mirtilos, o açúcar e a água.
Quando levantar fervura, cozinhar por cerca de 5 minutos, ou até a fruta começar a libertar o seu sumo.
Com a ajuda de uma escumadeira, retirar as cerejas e os mirtilos do tacho, colocá-los numa taça e reservar.
Adicionar o doce de cereja ao molho que ficou no tacho, deixar levantar fervura e cozinhar por 5 minutos, ou até a mistura estar espessa.
Deitar este xarope (sumo), sobre a fruta reservada e deixar arrefecer completamente.

para montar a pavlova:
Na taça da batedeira eléctrica, bater o queijo Philadelphia com a baunilha e o açúcar em pó.
Gradualmente, adicionar as natas e bater até a mistura estar macia e tudo estar incorporado (eu gosto de fazer este passo com a vara de arames, não vá a mistura talhar).
Antes de servir, colocar a pavlova sobre um prato de serviço.
Cobrir com a mistura de queijo e natas, decorar com a compota de cerejas e mirtilos e finalizar a decoração com as cerejas frescas com pé.

Recipe / Receita:

Anytime Berry Crumble / Um Crumble de frutos vermelhos para qualquer altura do ano.

This crumble recipe is actually a 3 in 1 as it calls for the cinnamon sugar recipe, the crumble mixture and the berry mixture itself.

Three fabulous suggestions from Emilie Raffa "The Clever Cookbook" book - that I truly ADORE to bits - that brilliantly come together in one single recipe or, that you can use with/in your favourite recipes or combinations.

ingredients for the cinnamon sugar butter:

227g unsalted butter, softened

50g sugar

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp fine sea salt

method:

Put all the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until blended.

Scrape the mixture into a bowl.

for the crumble mixture (makes 715g):

227g cinnamon sugar butter (above), softened

250g flour

220g light brown sugar

80g rolled oats
(I also added 40g of flaked almonds for extra crunch)

method:

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands until crumbs start to form.

Squeeze together for big crumbles or keep them small and sandy.

As you'll not need all this quantity for the crumble recipe I'm leaving you today, yo can store the remaining mixture into a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months (no need to defrost before using).

for the berry mixture:

unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

454g frozen mixed berries

25g sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

325g crumble recipe (above)

vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche, to serve

method:

Preheat the oven to 175ºC.

Lightly grease a 23 x 33cm baking dish with butter.

Put the berries in a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and cornflour. Mix together to combine.

Tip the mixture into the prepared dish and casually sprinkle the crumbs over the top.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until perfectly golden and the fruit is hot and bubbly.

Serve warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.

__________________

Hoje deixo-vos este crumble magnífico.

Adoro crumble e adoro frutos vermelhos e não resisto a uma boa receita de crumble.

Na verdade, esta receita é um 3 em 1, pois engloba 3 receitas do livro lindo que já todos conhecem por esta altura, o "The Clever Cookbook" da Emilie Raffa (eu sei... estou a tornar-me repetitiva, mas é mesmo um must este livrinho...).

ingredientes para a manteiga de açúcar e canela:

227g manteiga sem sal, amolecida

50g açúcar refinado branco

2 colheres sopa de canela em pó

1 colher chá de sal de mesa fino

preparação:

Colocar todos os ingredientes no copo do robot de cozinha e processar até obter uma mistura macia e homogénea.

para o crumble (para 715g):

227g da receita da manteiga acima

250g farinha

220g açúcar mascavado claro

80g flocos de aveia
(a receita não pede, mas eu também adicionei 40g de amêndoas laminadas)

preparação:

Colocar todos os ingredientes numa taça e misturar bem, por forma a obter uma mistura areada.

Caso gostem do crumble com pedaços mais compactos, amassar  por forma a formar bolas maiores da mistura, caso contrário, esfregar, até obter uma consistência areada.

Nota: Como para a receita deste crumble de frutos vermelhos não precisar de toda a quantidade desta mistura, podem colocar a restante num saco com fecho e congelar por cerca de 3 meses.

Podem utilizar a mistura congelada noutros crumbles à vossa escolha e nem é preciso descongelar.

para a fruta:

manteiga para untar o recipiente do crumble

454g mistura de frutos vermelhos congelados

25g açúcar refinado branco

1 colher sopa de farinha Maizena

325g mistura do crumble acima

gelado de baunilha ou crème fraîche, para servir

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 175ºC.

Untar ligeiramente com manteiga, um recipiente de Pirex, refractário ou outro que possa ir ao forno, com cerca de 23 x 33cm.

Colocar os frutos vermelhos numa taça.

Polvilhar com o açúcar e a Maizena e envolver tudo muito bem com as mãos.

Colocar a mistura no recipiente previamente preparado e polvilhar (sem compactar) com a mistura do crumble.

Levar ao forno por cerca de 30 a 40 minutos, ou até o topo estar douradinho e os sucos da fruta começarem a ferver à volta e acima do topping.

Servir quente, acompanhado de uma bola de gelado de baunilha ou crème fraîche.

Recipe / Receita:

Eton Mess Layer Cake / Bolo "Eton mess".

Last Saturday was my son 15th birthday and surprisingly, this year he didn't choose a chocolate cake.

Two years ago he chose this cake and last year, he chose this one here. As we can notice, chocolate all over and thats why I was very, very surprised when, this year, the only demands were: Meringues and blackberries...

With that in mind, I adapted the Meringue Girls - Everything Sweet - Eton Mess Layer Cake to his taste and the result was the cake that im presenting you.

Absolutely delicious I have to say! The sponge is moist and light and all the mixture of the berries, cream and meringues, make the cake very refreshing and delightful.

If you think that this is too much work, believe me, its not!!

You just have to be organised because you can make the meringues 2 or more days in advance, the coulis you can make the day before or 2 days before and, once cooled, keep it in the fridge and the cake, can be made the day before, wrapped in clingfilm and reserved.

The day itself, you just have to make the Eton mess cream and assemble the cake and Im saying this because thats exactly how I did it.

for the meringues:

300g caster sugar

150g egg whites (about 5 eggs)

method:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Line a small baking tray with baking puper, pour in the caster sugar and heat it in the oven for 7 minutes. Heating the sugar helps to create a glossy, stable mixture.

Pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk them slowly, then increase the speed until the egg whites form stiff peaks.

Take the sugar out of the oven and turn the oven down to 100ºC.

With your mixer on full speed, very slowly spoon the hot sugar into the stiffly beaten egg whites, making sure the mixture comes back up to stiff peaks after each addition of sugar.

Once you have added all the sugar, continue to whisk on full speed until you have a smooth, stiff and glossy mixture. You should continue to whisk for at least 5 minutes once all the sugar has been incorporated.

for plain meringues:

Spoon your meringue mixture into a disposable piping bag and cut the tip off.

Pipe out your kisses of various sizes, by keeping the bag tight, straight and directly above your baking tray.

Squeeze from a 2cm height above the baking tray, then let go with your squeezing hand before pulling up to form the lovely peaks.

for the coloured meringues:

Using food colouring (colour of your choice), a clean pipping bag and a clean paint brush, paint thick stripes from the tip of your piping bag to halfway down the bag (about 5 stripes).

Carefully spoon your meringue mixture into the pipping bag.

Cut off the tip of the pipping bag and pipe as for the plain ones.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the base of the meringues comes off the baking paper clean.

Once cooled, keep the best looking ones for decoration and crush up the rest.

The meringues keep for 1 week in a biscuit tin.

for the cake:

400g softened unsalted butter

400g caster sugar

8 eggs

400g self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp whole milk

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

method:

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

Grease 2 x 18cm round cake tins and line with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between each addition.

Add the flour, baking powder, milk and vanilla paste and beat together until you have a smooth, soft batter.

Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and smooth the top.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden and the cakes spring back when pressed.

Turn them out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

If you're making the cakes the day before, once cool, wrap them in clingfilm and reserve.

When ready to assemble the cake, cut the cakes in half horizontally, so that you have four layers.

for the coulis:

375g ripe strawberries, stalks removed, chopped into small pieces

30g caster sugar

method:

Put the fresh strawberries and sugar into a pan over a gentle heat.

Simmer for 10 minutes, until the fruit breaks down.

Push through a sieve using the back of a spoon and set aside to cool completely.

You can make the coulis up to 2 days in advance.

for the Eton mess cream:

600ml double cream

150g fresh raspberries, squished to a rough pulp with a fork

2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

method:

Using a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl and an electric whisk, beat the cream until medium peaks are formed.

Set aside a small bowl of the whipped cream for the finishing icing.

Place some of the strawberry coulis aside in a separate bowl for the decoration.

Swirl the remaining coulis carefully into your bowl of cream.

Fold in the crushed meringues, the squished fresh raspberries and the chopped mint, so that everything is just mixed and tastes delicious.

to decorate:

a handful of coloured and plain meringues, different sizes

freeze dried strawberry or raspberry pieces, to sprinkle

mint springs

a handful of fresh raspberries (I used raspberries and blackberries)

edible glitter (I didn't use)

to assemble the cake:

Place a layer of sponge on a serving plate and spread a layer of Eton mess cream over the top.

Repeat the layering with the remaining sponges and cream.

Use a palette knife to spread a very thin layer of the reserved whipped cream all over the sides of the cake.

Spread a thicker layer of cream on top.

Arrange some of the reserved whole meringue kisses around the edge in the shape of a crescent, then scatter with the crushed meringues, sprinklings of the freeze dried raspberries or strawberry pieces, sprigs of fresh mint and whole raspberries dipped in edible glitter.

Drizzle the remaining strawberry coulis over the top of the cake and allow it to drip over the edges.

__________________

No passado Sábado o meu filho fez anos. 15 aninhos!!

Se há coisa que adoro fazer, são os bolos de aniversário de todos cá em casa, especialmente os dos miúdos, pois são eles que escolhem sempre os bolos que querem e eu (não sendo uma profissional da pastelaria), faço o meu melhor para que o mesmo se aproxime o mais possível do modelo escolhido.

Este ano, surpreendentemente, o meu rapaz não quis nenhum bolo de chocolate.

Os bolos de chocolate já começavam a ser uma constante nos seus aniversários, senão vejam:

Há 2 anos, escolheu este

No ano passado, escolheu este aqui...

Notam alguma semelhança? chocolate, chocolate, chocolate...

Quando lhe perguntei que bolo queria este ano, disse que não queria bolo de chocolate. Queria algo com suspiros e amoras.

Quando vi este bolo no lindo livro "Everything Sweet" das Meringue Girls, nem pensei duas vezes e adaptei-o ás exigências do aniversariante.

Claro que ao olharem para a lista de ingredientes e para os processos todos, vão pensar que é uma canseira e uma trabalheira, mas desenganem.se, pois este bolo foi mais fácil de fazer que os dois anteriores.

É uma questão de organização, pois os suspiros podem ser feitos com alguns dias de antecedência e guardados dentro de uma lata de biscoitos.

O coulis pode ser feito de véspera e depois de frio, guardado num frasco no frigorífico.

Os bolos, também podem ser feitos de véspera e depois de frios, embrulhados em película aderente.

No dia, é só cortarem os bolos, fazerem a msitura do Eton mess (recheio) e montar o bolo e foi exactamente o que eu fiz e, sem me aperceber (pois dividi as tarefas por 3 dias), já tinha o bolo pronto!!

para os suspiros:

300g açúcar refinado branco

150g claras de ovo (cerca de 5 ovos)

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 200ºC.

Forrar um tabuleiro com papel vegetal, colocar o açúcar no tabuleiro e levar ao forno por cerca de 7 minutos. De acordo com as meninas do livro, aquecer o açúcar ajuda a estabilizar as claras e a dar-lhes mais brilho.

Entretanto, colocar as claras na taça da batedeira eléctrica equipada com o balão.

bater as claras em velocidade baixa, até estas estarem espumosas.

Aumentar a velocidade da batedeira para o máximo e continuar a bater, até as claras estarem em castelo.

Retirar o açúcar do forno e baixar a temperatura do forno para os 100ºC.

Batendo sempre, adicionar o açúcar quente ás claras, um bocadinho de cada vez, batendo bem entre cada adição.

Quando todo o açúcar tiver sido adicionado, continuar a bater por mais ou menos mais 5 minutos, ou até a mistura estar espessa, macia e brilhante.

para os suspiros brancos:

Colocar uma parte da mistura num saco de pasteleiro e cortar a ponta.

Sobre um tabuleiro forrado com papel vegetal e mantendo o saco na vertical, espremer montinhos da mistura, por forma a obter "beijinhos" de suspiro de vários tamanhos.

para os suspiros coloridos:

Usando corante para culinária na cor que quiser e um pincel fino, pincelar cerca de 5 linhas aleatórias do corante dentro de um saco de pasteleiro, começando pelo topo e estendendo a linha até cerca de mais de metade do saco.

Encher o saco com a mistura do suspiro, cortar a ponta do saco e espremer como mencionado para os suspiros brancos.

Levar os tabuleiros ao forno por cerca de 35 to 45 minutes, ou até que a base dos suspiros descole do papel vegetal sem oferecer resistência.

Arrefecer os suspiros sobre uma grelha, guardar os mais perfeitos para a decoração do bolo e esmigalhar os restantes.

Como escrito acima, nesta fase e caso os façam com uns dias de antecedência, guardá-los numa lata de biscoitos bem fechada.

para o bolo:

400g manteiga sem sal, amolecida

400g açúcar refinado branco

8 ovos

400g farinha de trigo branca com fermento

1/2 colher chá de fermento em pó

2 colheres sopa de leite gordo

2 colheres chá de pasta ou extracto de baunilha

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 160ºC.

Untar e forrar com papel vegetal, duas formas com 18cm de diâmetro.

Numa taça larga, bater a manteiga e o açúcar, até obter uma mistura esbranquiçada e macia.

Adicionar os ovos, um de cada vez, batendo bem entre cada adição.

Adicionar a farinha, o fermento, o leite e a baunilha e bater até tudo estar bem incorporado e a mistura estiver macia e cremosa.

Dividir a mistura pelas duas formas e alisar as superfícies.

Levar os bolos ao forno e cozer por cerca de 45 minutos, ou até estarem coradinhos e um palito inserido no meio de cada bolo, sair completamente limpo.

Desenformar os bolos sobre uma grelha e deixar arrefecer completamente.

Caso façam os bolos de vésperas, esta é a altura de os embrulhar bem em película aderente e reservar.

Quando forem montar o bolo, cortar cada bolo ao meio, por forma a obter 4 discos.

para o coulis de morango:

375g morangos maduros, sem pé e cortados em pedaços pequenos

30g açúcar refinado branco

preparação:

Colocar os morangos e o açúcar num tacho sobre lume brando e cozinhar por cerca de 10 minutos, ou até os morangos estarem macios.

Passar a mistura por um coador de malha fina, espremendo bem com as costas de uma colher, deixar arrefecer e guardar num frasco de fecho hermético no frigorífico (pode ser feito com 2 dias de antecedência).

para o recheio de Eton mess:

600ml natas para bater

150g framboesas frescas, esmagadas grosseiramente com um garfo

2 colheres sopa de folhas de menta, picadas muito finamente

preparação:

Bater as natas até obter um Chantilly ligeiro.

Reservar uma pequena quantidade das natas para barrar o bolo.

Reservar uma parte do coulis de morango para a decoração do bolo.

Ás natas restantes, adicionar o coulis restante, a menta picada, os suspiros esmigalhados (reservando algumas migalhas para a decoração final) e as framboesas esmagadas e misturar tudo com muita delicadeza, por forma a obter um efeito marmoreado.

para decorar o bolo:

um punhado de suspiros brancos e da cor seleccionada

folhas de menta

um punhado de framboesas frescas (eu usei framboesas e amoras)

glitter dourado de culinária (eu não usei)

migalhas de suspiro

para montar o bolo:

Colocar um disco de bolo num prato de serviço e cobri-lo com 1/3 da mistura de Eton mess.

Repetir com os restantes discos de bolo e mistura de Eton mess, por forma a obter 4 camadas, terminando com um disco de bolo.

Com uma espátula, barrar o bolo a toda a volta com uma fina camada das natas reservadas.

Cobrir a superfície do bolo com uma camada espessa das natas e regar com o coulis de morango, por forma a que este escorra para as laterais do bolo.

Decorar o bolo com os suspiros reservados, as framboesas pinceladas com o glitter, folhas de menta, migalhas de suspiro e as framboesas ou morangos desidratados.

Recipe / Receita: