Strawberry Stacks Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to a 10-in. square; cut into 12 rectangles (approx. 3x2-1/2 in.). Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely., In a large bowl, toss strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add vanilla and remaining sugar; beat until stiff peaks form., To serve, split pastries horizontally in half. Top each bottom half with 2 tablespoons whipped cream and 1 tablespoon strawberries; replace top half. Top with remaining whipped cream and strawberries.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper (see Cook's Note).
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl until evenly combined. Combine the sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon red ale into a small bowl and reserve. Pour the remaining red ale into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the egg and beer mixture over the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared pans, shaking the pans to distribute the batter evenly, then bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. Flip the cakes right-side up again and let cool completely.
• For the frosting and fruit: Meanwhile, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until lightened and creamy, about 3 minutes. In another bowl, toss the strawberries with the granulated sugar and the reserved red ale and refrigerate 15 minutes to 1 hour.
• Place a cake layer on a cake plate, then spread 1 cup of the frosting over the cake with an offset spatula or butter knife. Spoon about a quarter of the strawberries over the frosting, arranging them evenly over the top. Repeat with the second cake layer, another 1 cup frosting and third of the remaining strawberries. Top with the last cake layer and the remaining 1 cup frosting. (If not serving immediately, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for up to 1 day.)
• When ready to serve, pile the remaining strawberries on top of the cake.

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; continue boiling, covered, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Uncover and continue boiling, swirling pan gently as color develops at edges of pan, until sugar turns medium amber and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Remove from heat; carefully add lemon zest and juice and 1/4 cup cold water (add water all at once and pull hand away immediately; mixture will splatter and steam). Stir until smooth; if necessary, return pan to low heat to liquefy completely. Transfer to a heatproof bowl; let cool until slightly warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk mascarpone, cream, confectioners' sugar, and salt on medium-high speed to stiff peaks. Working one at a time, dip 10 ladyfingers in caramel, turning to fully coat and allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Spread a very thin layer of cream mixture on bottom of each dipped ladyfinger (to prevent sliding); arrange on a platter in a snug row.
• Dollop one-third of remaining cream mixture on top; spread to edges in an even layer. Top with one-third of strawberries in a single layer. Repeat dipping and layering twice more (skipping the thin layer of cream mixture on bottom of cookies for remaining layers).
• Cover loosely but fully and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 2 days. Top with more halved or whole berries. To serve, slice between each row of ladyfingers.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Roll the pastry out to a square about 30 x 30cm. Lay on a large baking sheet, place another sheet on top and bake for about 20 mins until golden. Heat the grill to high, dust the pastry liberally with icing sugar and carefully caramelise under the grill. Dust with another layer of icing sugar and return to the grill to caramelise again. While warm, cut the pastry biscuits into 12 neat rectangles, trimming the edges as you go. These can now be kept in an airtight container for a day.
• Halve or quarter the strawberries, depending on their size, then dust with a little icing sugar and set aside. Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream, then whip lightly with the caster sugar until it just holds its shape.
• To assemble, place a blob of cream on each plate and, at jaunty angles, stack the biscuits, cream and strawberries.