Butter & milk-free Strawberry & Chocolate "Fraisier" ...and still tastes good!!

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Who said that healthy wasn't yummy? Let me present you this recipe I was meant to publish in  May...but it's never too late use to sing Kylie Minogue no! 
This cake is a "substitute" to the classical French fraisier, so laborious to prepare (I will have to give it a try one day). This one needs a bit of your attention, but it's quite easy to prepare. It is healthier as we are using less fatty ingredients, however as I just said, less fat doesn't mean less flavor. 

If you feel like reading a froggy cookery book this recipe is from Veggie by Cléa. Such a good work,  very interesting vegetarian dishes for any occasion. 
The key ingredient for a healthy dessert is silken tofu. Say goodbye to naughty double or whipped cream, butter and eggs! 
The agar agar play as well a crucial part, this seaweed powder allow any liquid preparations to  curdle, definitely a winner to me.  Unlike the pork gelatin it as no animal savor, no calories and even helps to lose weight :). I recommend here another book by Cléa: Agar Agar.

Here is the recipe (serve 6)

For the sponge cake:

• 3 eggs
• 90g of caster sugar
• 90g of plain flour

For the strawberry mousse:

• 300g of strawberries
•  100g of brown sugar
•  1 level teaspoon of agar agar 
• 200g of silken tofu

For the chocolate cream:

• 80g of milk or dark cooking chocolate
• 200g of silken tofu
• 100ml rice milk or soya, oat, quinoa, nuts etc...
• 1 teaspoon of agar agar
• About 15 strawberries for the edge and decoration 

. Let's start with the sponge cake. Beat the eggs with the sugar together in a waterproof recipient. Place over a bain-marie and whisk until pale and double in size. 
Remove from bain-marie but carry on beating until it has slightly cooled down.

. Sift over the flour in three times and fold in delicately. Pour the mixture in a cooking ring  (18-22cm) placed over a baking sheet in the oven tray. Cook for 15mn at 180ºC. Let it cool down.

. Remove the sponge cake from the circle and cut horizontally in two equal halves.

. Clean the strawberries and take off the leaves. In a blender mix 300g of the strawberries with the brown sugar. Pour in a pan.
Add the agar agar, stir well and bring this mixture to the boil. Let it simmer for 30 seconds- 1 minute. Pour in the blender again and mix in the tofu.

. In the circle place one half of the sponge cake. Pour the strawberry mousse on top. Place in the fridge 1 hour to set.

. Take out off the fridge and place the seconf half of the sponge cake. Decorate the edge of the cake with the rest of the strawberries cut in half, the cut parton the circle side (here I've had to cut the base of the strawberries too so they can fit in the mould).

. Melt the chocolate (microwave or bain marie) and mix with the tofu.
Stir together rhe milk and the agar agar, bring to the boil 10 seconds. Stir in the chocolate mixture and pour over the second half f sponge cake. Leave in the fridge for one more hour.

. Take out off the fridge and remove delicately/very slowly the circle. Decorte with fresh strawberries and ready!

I recommend serving it with a strawberry coulis.  

This  cake is a second cousin of the "fraisier", here we have no sponge cake with butter, no syrup, no buttercream, and no marzipan.  Only goodand healthy ingredients for a good looking vegetarian cake.t to have when you're controlling your weight.