🍓 First Strawberry Harvest of the Year | Making Strawberry Cake & Jam

Hello dear friends! 👋 Today we’re in the kitchen turning fresh, juicy strawberries into two delicious homemade treats—Strawberry Cake and Strawberry Jam! 🍓🍰 Whether you’ve picked them from the garden or brought them home from the market, strawberries are perfect for sweet, simple recipes the whole family will love.

First, we’ll bake a soft and fluffy strawberry cake, filled with the natural sweetness of fresh berries—perfect for a tea-time treat or a light dessert. Then, we’ll show you how to make traditional strawberry jam, gently simmered to bring out the full flavor and preserved naturally for enjoying long after strawberry season is over.

These recipes are easy to follow and full of nostalgic charm—just the kind of comfort food that brings people together.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more homemade desserts, seasonal preserves, and cozy kitchen moments from our home to yours! 😊

Ingredients for the Dough:
- 250 g cottage cheese (9% fat or similar)
- 100 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 200 g softened unsalted butter
- approximately 400 g all-purpose flour (adjust as needed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 g baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

For the Filling:
- 500 g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 50 g cornstarch
- 60 g sugar (adjust to taste)
- 60 ml water

Baking tray size: 34 x 38 cm

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Filling:

- Dissolve cornstarch in water until smooth.
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Blend into a smooth purée.
- In a saucepan, combine the purée and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 1 minute).
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and let cool to room temperature.

2. Make the Dough:

- All ingredients should be at room temperature.
- In a large bowl, mix cottage cheese (press through a sieve if grainy), eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, butter, and salt until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder. Gradually sift it into the wet mixture. Knead just until a soft, smooth dough forms. Do not overwork.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Assemble and Bake:

- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle about 0.5 cm thick (34 x 38 cm).
- Prick all over with a fork and transfer to a baking tray with the parchment.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 15–17 minutes. The crust should stay light in color.
- Let it cool slightly, then carefully transfer to a flat surface. Trim the edges with a sharp knife and cut the crust in half to make two equal rectangles. Save the trimmings.

4. Final Steps:

- Spread half of the strawberry filling over one crust. Place the second crust on top and spread the rest of the filling evenly.
- Crumble the trimmings and sprinkle over the top. Gently press down to help them stick.
- Let the pastry rest at room temperature for 2–3 hours to allow the layers to set.
- Slice into bars (approximately 12 pieces, 5 x 8.5 cm each).

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Storage:
Keep the bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They stay soft, tender, and full of flavor.

Enjoy!

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