After a long winter, I feel like a daffodil—no longer dormant and ready to bloom again.
I wanted to celebrate the return of everything green, colorful, and growing with a new recipe—a bouquet-like charlotte. I went straight to my favorite flavor that’s green, matcha, and combined its earthy notes with sweet strawberries. It’s a fine way to glide into spring.
1. Adjust oven rack to middle-low position and heat oven to 325℉ convection (preferred) or 350℉. Greased and flour a 18-by-12-inch jelly-roll pan lined with parchment, set aside. Mix matcha powder and vodka in a small bowl until fully combined, set aside. In a medium bowl, sift flour and cornstarch together; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating constantly, until mixture is stiff and glossy but not dry. Add whipped egg whites to a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Add yolks and remaining 4 tablespoons sugar to the now empty mixing bowl (no need to clean bowl and whisk attachment), beat on medium-high speed until thick and light in color, stopping machine to scrape down bowl once or twice as needed. Add matcha mixture, vanilla and continue to beat until yolks form a flat ribbon that falls back on itself when beaters are lifted, 2-3 minutes.
4. Fold 1/3 of whites into yolk mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 of dry ingredients over batter; fold in gently. Repeat with egg whites and dry ingredients; finally, fold in remaining whites to form a light, smooth batter. Turn batter into prepared pan with a rubber spatula. Bake until top feels springy to the touch and edges begin to pull away from pan, 10 minutes for convection and 12-15 minutes regular baking. (Do not overbake or cake will be dry.)
5. While cake is in oven, sift confectioners’ sugar over a tea towel measuring at least 15-by-10-inches. Immediately invert baked cake onto sugar-covered towel and peel away paper. Trim all four sides of crisp edges, fold one end of the sugared tea towel over short end of the cake and roll cake to form a log. Set cake on rack to cool, about 20 minutes) seam side down.
6. Unroll cooled cake and evenly spread a thin layer of preserves over the entire top. Reroll cake and set it seam side down. With a serrated knife, cut cake into 1/3-inch thick slices, cleaning knife after each cut to keep preserves from smearing cake. Line a 1-1/2-quart (7-1/2 inch diameter) bowl with plastic wrap with overhang. Line bowl with cake slices decoratively and cover with plastic wrap. Wrap remaining cake slice s in plastic wrap and refrigerate cake lined bowl and cake slices until ready to use.
1. Combine gelatin and 1/4 cup cold water in a medium saucepan; let stand to soften gelatin, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup hot water, lemon juice, sugar, and salt; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar and gelatin dissolve. Stir in berry puree and liqueur; refrigerate or set in ice-water bath, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens to consistency of raw egg whites, about 30 minutes.
2. Whip chilled cream to soft peaks; fold into mousse. Remove cake from refrigerator, unwrap and spoon filling into cake-lined bowl; cover top with remaining cake slices, cut slices into smaller pieces to fill gaps. Bring draped plastic wrap over cake pieces, then cover with another piece of plastic. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to set.
3. Remove cake from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap to expose top of cake. Place cake stand or serving platter on top and invert. Remove plastic gently and serve.
