Strawberry Mousse Cake topped with Italian Meringue--Celebrating Mother’s Day

My contribution to the event "Celebrating Mother's Day" organized by Ivy.

Should we need a specific calendar day to celebrate, cherish and honour our parents? No. we shouldn't. May 10th is just one of the 365 days and appreciation can be shown in many forms throughout the year. Be having a cup of tea with your mom, or finishing the dish she cooked for you, listening to her blah-blah, watching one fav. soap TV series with her, or something, anything that might brighten her daily life. Even just being there would cheer her up.

I remember when I still lived at home with my mum and my brother, I didn't need to worry about the food, all I had to know was when the meal would be ready.

I believe this light dessert-like strawberry moussecake would really make her day, a mother's day. I now live 9000 kilometers away from her and cannot really give her the cake in person, but I will call and thank her for taking such a challenging role as a full time mother in life.

Mother's Day was not celebrated in China until the year 1997, when the day was set to raise money to help poor mothers. Since then, it has gain its popularity in the country.

The flower image I have found through google.



The flower for the Mother's Day is called "orange daylily" in English, or Wang You Cao (忘忧草) in Chinese, literally meaning "forget worries & strife plant". Still the most sold flowers are carnation.

Happy Mother's Day to All Mothers!

	#Strawberry Mousse:	#Italian Meringue:
2 round Chiffon cake, 7-inch 2 tbsp Strawberry jelly 1/2 tbsp Water	500 g Fresh strawberries 2 tbsp Inverted sugar syrupangiesrecipes 2 tbsp Caster sugar 60 ml Water 1 tbsp Lemon juice 8 Gelatin sheets 300 g Whipping creamangiesrecipes	100 g Golden yellow sugar 45 ml Cold water 4 Egg whites 1/3 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Lemon juice 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

1. Soak gelatin sheets in a bowl of water and lemon juice for 5 minutes. Stem and rinse the strawberries. Place 2/3 of the strawberries, caster sugar and inverted sugar syrup in a blender and puree. Warm the softened gelatin with a pot of simmering water until clear and dissolved. Stir it into the strawberry puree mixture. Chill the mixture to the consistency of raw egg white.
   
   
2. Whip cream until the soft peaks are about to form. With a rubber spatula, fold the cooled strawberry mixture into the whipped cream to blend completely. Microwave the strawberry jelly and water in a small bowl for 10 seconds.
   
   
3. Place an 8-inch moussecake ring on a cake board or a serving plate. Place one disc inside the cake ring. Brush lightly with prepared glaze. (if desired, place strawberry halves or slices around the cake.) Pour half of the mousse over the cake, letting it spill over the sides. Spread the mousse in an even layer. Place second cake layer on top of mousse and brush with glaze. Pour the rest of the mousse on top and spread evenly. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm.
   
   
   
   
4. Half an hour before serving time, start to prepare the meringue topping.
   
   Dissolve the sugar in water over medium heat. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture starts to boil, beat the egg whites with the salt and lemon juice until stiff peaks form. Once the syrup temperature reaches 118C/245F, pour into the whites in a thin stream, taking care not to let it run onto the whisk. Continue beating the egg whites until it has cooled to lukewarm and meringue is thick and shiny. Flavour with the vanilla extract.
   
   
5. Remove the moussecake from the fridge. Spoon Italian meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, and pipe meringue on top in a decorative manner. Brown the meringue with a kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle a few inches from surface of meringue. Lift the cake ring off. Slice and serve.