BYWATER BAKERY BERRY CHANTILLY CAKE

Bywater Bakery Berry Chantilly Cake

Makes 1 cake

1/2 cup each whole strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries

The cake

Makes 1 8-inch round

15 ounces all-purpose flour

1-1/2 ounces cornstarch

1/8 ounce salt

1/2 ounce baking powder

11 ounces sugar

8 ounces butter

7 ounces egg whites, about 7 egg whites

12 ounces milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt and baking powder in large bowl.

In bowl of mixer, combine sugar and butter. Whip until fluffy and light. With mixer on low to medium speed, gradually add egg whites until incorporated. With mixer on medium, slowly add milk until fully incorporated. Add almond flavoring to taste.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in bowl, adding about 1/3 at a time until each portion is fully incorporated.

Prepare a 2-inch-deep (or deeper) 8-inch cake pan by spraying with cooking spray. Then place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom. Spray parchment lightly. Pour batter into cake pan.

Bake cake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cake should be just golden on top and spring back when gently pressed.

Allow cake to cool completely before assembling.

Chantilly icing

Makes enough for a two- or three-layer 8-inch round cake

1 pound mascarpone

1 pound cream cheese

1 pound powdered sugar

2 pounds (or 1 quart) heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon almond extract, or to taste

Chill mixing bowl in refrigerator, whether using hand or standing mixer. Keep all ingredients chilled in refrigerator until ready to use.

If using a stand mixer, fit it with paddle. When bowl is chilled, add cream cheese and powdered sugar to bowl and mix until well blended, ensuring there are no lumps. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add mascarpone and mix until fully combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Then, slowly add whipping cream at low speed, stopping and scraping down sides of the bowl as needed, until all is added. Add almond extract.

Fit mixer with whisk attachment. The mixture will be very loose at this point. Whip mixture at medium-high speed until ribbons begin to form in the cream. Turn mixer to high and watch closely, mixing just until icing is the consistency of whipped cream or mousse. Do not over-whip. Mixture should stand in peaks on a spoon or spatula.

Keep chilled until ready to use.

Notes:

• This recipe calls for equal amounts of mascarpone, cream cheese and powdered sugar to two parts heavy cream. The recipe can easily be adjusted to make a larger amount as along as these proportions are maintained, Conrad said.

Simple syrup

Makes 1/2 cup

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup sugar

Combine water and sugar over low flame. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Note: Simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar, with the sugar dissolved into the water. It's a great to keep on hand for use in tea, coffee and recipes. For this cake, feel free to add a dash of almond, lemon or orange extract to the simple syrup.

To assemble cake:

Clean berries, removing stems and leaves from strawberries. Drain well and set aside.

Slice cake layer into three layers. Place one cake layer on surface top side down, exposing the sliced side. Sprinkle with simple syrup to moisten. (Do not douse). Then, using a spatula -- an off-set spatula works best -- place a generous amount of icing on top and spread until it is about the same height or thickness of the cake layer.

Cover Chantilly cream evenly with berries, ensuring a layer of berries covers the surface and that fruit goes all the way to the edge of the cake layer.

Add second cake layer, with sliced side exposed, and repeat, adding simple syrup, thick layer of Chantilly cream and even layer of berries. Add final cake layer on top, with sliced side exposed. Sprinkle with simple syrup.

Cover the entire cake with Chantilly cream. Do one coat to completely cover the cake, the so-called crumb coat. Then, go back and add more Chantilly cream to decorate. (Conrad uses a pastry bag fitted with leaf-shape tip to pipe up the sides, but it's up to you as to whether you want a smooth or frilly-looking cake.)

Add fresh berries to the top. Then, refrigerate at least six hours or, preferably, overnight before serving.

Editor's note: This recipe has been edited to explain how to slice the cake to assemble a three-layer Chantilly cake. The cake also can sliced in half to make two layers.