Fruit Terrine with Strawberry Sauce
Dimitri/rec.food.cooking/2001
Serves 12

4 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp. extra fine sugar (process in food processor before measuring if extra fine is unavailable)
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. melted butter
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pint strawberries
2 kiwi fruit
2/3 lb. green seedless grapes or berries
Amaretto cream (recipe follows)
Strawberry sauce (recipe follows)

TWO DAYS BEFORE SERVING, PREPARE THE SPONGE CAKE:
Place eggs and sugar in a large heat proof bowl. Whisk lightly and then place bowl over a pan of simmering, not boiling, water. Heat gently, stirring frequently, until eggs are warm, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. Beat egg mixture for 10 minutes, on high speed, using an electric mixer. The mixture should form a slowly dissolving ribbon as beater is lifted from bowl.

Mix flour and cornstarch together. Sift this, one third at a time, over egg mixture, folding gently after each addition. Do not over mix. Transfer a quarter of the batter to a small bowl. Fold in butter and vanilla. Quickly but gently, fold back into remaining egg mixture.

Turn batter into a greased and lined 9 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until springy and golden. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minute and then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and set aside, at room temperature, for 2 days.

THE DAY BEFORE SERVING, PREPARE THE AMARETTO CREAM:
Beat 1 cup whipping cream until stiff. Cream 6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter and 1 cup confectioner's sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in 6 ounces ground almond and 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Amaretto. Fold in a quarter of the whipped cream to lighten. Very gently fold in all the remaining cream.

Hull strawberries. Peel kiwi fruit and cut into 6 even wedges. Wash grapes.

Lightly oil a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Line bottom and sides of pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 5 inch overhang on each side.

Cut sponge cake in half to make two pieces. Using a very sharp knife, shave off brown crusts from all surfaces of the cake. Slice each piece horizontally into 3 thin layers of approximately 1/4 inch thickness.

Choose 4 of the best layers and reserve the remaining 2 for another use. Place one layer of cake in bottom of pan; trim if necessary for a snug fit. Use 2 more layers to line the long sides of the pan; the cake layers should extend 1 inch above the top of the pan. Reserve the fourth layer for the top. Spread a fifth of the Amaretto cream in the pan; arrange the strawberries in a single layer over the top. Cover berries with another fifth of the Amaretto cream.

Arrange kiwi fruit wedges lengthwise over the cream and cover with another fifth of the cream. Arrange the remaining strawberries over the cream and cover with the last of the cream. Cover with the remaining cake layer and press lightly. Tightly fold plastic wrap over the top and chill overnight.

Unmold terrine 20 minutes before serving and cut into 1/2 inch slices with a very sharp knife. Place each slice in the center of a dessert plate. Garnish with strawberry sauce around the sides of the slice.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
Puree 1 to 1 1/2 quarts strawberries in food processor. Sieve to remove seeds and stir in 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Amaretto and 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar to taste.