Raspberry Mousse & Kirsch Layer Cake

1. Line the bottom of two 8" cake pans with a parchment round, or butter and flour the
pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (don't use the convection setting).

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, cook until the milk solids sink to the bottom of the
pan and become brown. Drain the butter into a medium bowl, leaving the milk solids in
the pan. Stir the vanilla into the browned butter and set aside.

3. Put the eggs, sugar, and salt in a mixer bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering
water (don't let the bowl touch the water) and whisk until the eggs are slightly warmer
than body temperature. Put the bowl onto the mixer and whisk until the eggs are
tripled in volume.

4. Sift half the flour over the egg mixture and use a balloon whisk to fold, repeat with the
remaining flour. Whisk 1 cup of the batter into the browned butter to lighten the
butter, then whisk in another cup of batter.

5.Fold the butter mixture into the batter just until combined. Don't over mix or you'll lose some volume in the cake. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.

6. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the centre, about 30 minutes. Cool in
the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

7. Cut the cake into 2 layers & using a pastry brush, soak the cake layers with the kirsch

8. Place the fresh raspberries in a jar with the caster sugar and 50ml kirsch, allow to
soak.

9. Put the raspberry puree into a pan, and sprinkle over the agar-agar flakes, slowly
bring to a boil with stirring, once boiling stir occasionally for around 5 mins until the flakes
have fully dissolved, put to one side to cool.

10. Whisk egg whites to snow white, add sugar and continue whisking until thick and
form med-stiff peak.

11. Whip the cream lightly and fold through the egg whites then fold through the cooled
raspberry coulis.

12. Spread over the prepared sponge cake. Leave in the fridge for at-least 2 hours to firm up,
before slicing & serving.

13. Decorate with kirsch-soaked fresh raspberries.