Cunning zebra gateau

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees (fan-assisted oven 170 degrees). For the biscuit base separate the eggs and whip the egg whites until stiff. Whip the egg yolks and 3 tbsp. of hot water until thick and creamy, sprinkle in the sugar and vanilla sugar. Mix the flour with the blancmange powder and baking powder using a sieve; carefully stir in the whipped egg white mixture. Grease the base of a baking tin (spring form ø 26 cm), fill with the biscuit mixture. Bake for ca. 25 minutes in the oven. Then remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the baking tin.
2. For the cream: Soften the gelatine. Blend the egg yolks, sugar and milk. Place in a pan, allow to come to the boil, and then remove from the heat. Squeeze out the gelatine, dissolve in the warm cream mixture. Allow the cream mixture to cool a little. Mix the quark with the lemon juice, and blend into the cream mixture. Whip the 500 ml of cream until stiff, saving some to use as decoration later, and blend with the cream mixture. Divide the cream mixture into two equal portions; mix the cocoa into one of these portions.
3. Remove the biscuit base from the baking tin. Place the base on a cake plate and enclose using a baking ring. Place a ladle of the light-coloured cream mixture in the middle of the base, then a ladle of the chocolate cream on top of this so that the cream mixtures are forced outwards. Repeat this procedure until you have used up both cream mixtures. Place the gateau to cool, decorate with swirls of cream and the Mikado sticks before serving.

Click here for more information on cooking and baking with gelatine.

- Thekla Schmailzl, Germany