James Martin's cheat's strawberry gateau
James is back to help us fool our loved ones into thinking we've spent hours slaving away in the kitchen! With a few shop-bought ingredients and just 10 minutes, anyone can create this showstopping Valentine’s strawberry gateau. Delish.
Cheat's strawberry gateau
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1x sponge flan50ml whisky500g large strawberries600ml double cream1 tsp vanilla bean paste
To decorate
Icing sugarSelection of berries Mint sprigsSpun sugar
Method
1. Using a 24cm cake ring, cut the centre out of the sponge, then cut through the sponge horizontally with a bread knife two create two thin rounds
2. Put the cake ring onto a cake stand and pop 1 of the cake slices into the bottom, then drizzle over with whisky
3. Cut the strawberries in half and sit them all around the outside of the ring, with the flat side of the strawberry facing outwards against the ring
4. Whip the cream and vanilla together, then spoon onto the cake, flatten and top with the other slice of cake
5. Dust all over with icing sugar then heat a metal skewer until hot and use it to criss cross the top of the cake
6. Warm the outside of the metal ring with a blow torch to remove
7. Decorate the top of the cake with the berries, mint leaves and spun sugar