Sky-high Chocolate, Cream and Strawberry Layer Cake

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#### Sky-high Chocolate, Cream and Strawberry Layer Cake
20 cm round cake pan
For the cake:
5 large eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
200 grams (1 cup) sugar
2 tbsp. chocolate liqueur (or brandy)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
180 grams (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
50 grams (5 tbsp.) cocoa powder
10 grams (2 tsp.) baking powder
For the roasted strawberries:
150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
350 grams strawberries, cut into large cubes
200 grams fresh strawberries (remain fresh for the filling)
For the syrup:
240 ml. (1 cup) water
200 grams (1 cup) sugar
For the vanilla cream:
500 ml. (2 cups) whipping cream, very cold
2 tbsp. sugar powder
2 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For decoration:
Small fresh strawberries, cut in halves
#### Preparation:
1. Chocolate cake: preheat the oven to 175c degrees and grease the pan.
2. In a mixer bowl, whip egg whites and salt until whitish foam begins to form.
3. Add the sugar gradually and continue to whip until stable and soft meringue is obtained.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, chocolate liqueur and vanilla, and then add into the meringue while whipping slowly.
5. Sift in flour, cocoa and baking powder, and gently fold until the mixture is completely uniform.
6. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, straighten the top with a palate knife, and bake for about 28-33 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out completely dry.
7. Cool the cake completely at room temperature.
8. When the cake is cold, slice it into 4 equal layers with a serrated knife.
9. Roasted strawberries: in a medium-large pan, place sugar and cook over a high heat until caramel begins to form. When caramel is amber in color, add lemon juice, 350 grams of sliced ​​strawberries and vanilla, and cook on low to medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until the strawberries soften a bit.
10. Strain the strawberries and keep the liquids on the side until the cake is assembled.
11. Add the fresh strawberries to the roasted strawberries and mix.
12. Syrup: in a small pot, put water and sugar and heat to a boil. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until all the sugar dissolves and remove from heat.
13. Cool the syrup completely and add in the liquid of the roasted strawberries into it. Mix well.
14. Vanilla cream: in a mixer bowl, whip cream, powdered sugar, pudding powder and vanilla extract until you get a very firm whipped cream.
15. Assemble the cake: place the bottom layer of the cake on a serving dish.
16. Brush the bottom layer of the cake with strawberry syrup.
17. Pour over a quarter of the whipped cream and straighten with a palate knife.
18. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the roasted strawberries in a uniform layer over the cream and close with another layer of cake.
19. Brush the second layer of cake with syrup, pour another 1/4 of cream and add strawberries on top. Continue until all cake layers, cream and strawberries are done.
20. Garnish with strawberry halves at the top and keep in the refrigerator until serving.