Serves 8 1 recipe almond génoise (see below) For syrup: 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon lemon juice For mousse: 11/2 cups hulled and cleaned strawberries 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 1/4 cup sugar 2 cups whipping cream 1 cup halved strawberries 1/2 cup currant jelly Prepare almond genoise. Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine syrup ingredients. Heat to dissolve sugar. Mousse: Puree strawberries in food processor. Strain through fine sieve to make 1 cup. Dissolve gelatin in 1/4 cup of the puree. Heat remaining puree with sugar to dissolve. Add gelatin to melt. Let mixture stand until cool but not set. Whip the cream to form peaks. Fold into strawberry mixture. Cut the two cakes in halves lengthwise. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with cardboard. Line with 1 cake layer. Brush with syrup. Spread with 1/4 of the mousse. Continue with remaining layers. Decorate top with strawberries. Almond Genoise Serves 10 3 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 3 egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/3 cup almonds, ground 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1 1/2 tablespoons butter Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Butter and flour bottom and sides. Whisk whole eggs and sugar in an electric mixer. Beat until triple in volume. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar to form soft peaks. Add sugar while beating. Fold egg whites into whole egg mixture. Fold in ground almonds, flour and butter. Distribute batter between the two pans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until lightly brown and springy to touch. Cool in pans and unmold over racks. Cakes can be filled with chocolate butter cream, Mocha butter cream or chocolate mousse filling.

1 cup (about 5 ounces) chocolate cookie or chocolate graham cracker crumbs 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine 2 pint baskets California strawberries, stemmed and halved 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided 1 tablespoon sugar In bowl, mix crumbs and butter to blend thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of 9-inch springform or cheesecake pan. Stand strawberry halves, touching, side-by-side, pointed ends up with cuts sides against side of pan. Set aside. Place chocolate chips in blender container. In small saucepan over medium heat, mix water and corn syrup; bring to boil and simmer 1 minute. Immediately pour over chocolate chips and blend until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups of the cream to form stiff peaks. With rubber spatula, fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream to blend thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan; level top. (Points of strawberries might extend above chocolate mixture.) Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours. Up to 2 hours before serving, in medium mixer bowl, beat remaining one cup cream to form soft peaks. Add sugar; beat to form stiff peaks. Remove side of pan; place cake on serving plate. Using a Pastry Bag with a star tip pipe or dollop whipped cream onto top of cake. Arrange remaining halved strawberries on whipped cream. Nutritional Information: 406 calories; 30 g fat; 76 mg cholesterol; 153 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 5 g protein. Source: California Strawberry Commission