CHAMPAGNE AND STRAWBERRIES RECIPES

Steps:

• In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
• In another bowl combine the egg whites, champagne, vanilla, strawberry extract, and vegetable oil. Whisk until blended and set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar 3 to 5 minutes. When it is light and fluffy add approximately 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Then add 1/2 of the liquid ingredients mixing until blended. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients. Begin and end with dry ingredients (3 additions of dry and 2 wet). *Makes 7 1/2 cups of batter.
• Pour into prepared pans and sprinkle finely chopped strawberries over the batter, trying to avoid clumping the strawberries together. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted the center comes out clean. Cool in baking pans 10 min. then turn out.
• In the bowl of your mixer, cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in strawberry extract.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar along with the champagne and strawberries until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Beat at medium speed 3 to 4 minutes. The texture will become very smooth. If you are tinting the entire batch of buttercream light pink, you can add a very small amount of coloring gel while it is mixing.
• If the buttercream is too thin add more powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Gently rinse strawberries and dry on paper towels (berries must be completely dry). Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
• Dip lower half of each strawberry into chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip back into saucepan. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate uncovered about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm, or until ready to serve. Store covered in refrigerator so chocolate does not soften (if made with oil, chocolate will soften more quickly at room temperature).