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For the sponges
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Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas
4. Grease and line the bases of 2 x 22-23cm
straight-sided. loose-bottomed square tins or 2 round tins.
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To make the sponges, put the
eggs yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with
an electric whisk until pale. Add the lemon zest and
juice, vanilla, semolina, almonds and poppy seeds, then
whisk again briefly to mix.
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Clean your beaters, and beat
the egg whites in a separate bowl to stiff peaks. Add a
quarter of the egg whites to the other mixture and stir
well to loosen. Add the remaining egg whites and, using a
big metal spoon, gently fold in until no big lumps of egg
white remain. Divide the mixture between the tins, spread
the top to smooth and bake for 20 mins until springy to
touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out
clean. Leave the sponges to cool in the tins.
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When the sponges are cool,
start to prepare the filling. Put 400g of the strawberries
and the icing sugar in a food processor or blender and
whizz to a really smooth puree. Transfer to a saucepan and
gently warm. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl
of cold water.
For the filling and
assembly
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When the puree is hot but you
can still put your fingers in it, squeeze out the excess
water from the gelatine, take the puree off the heat and
stir in the gelatine to melt. Pour into a bowl and put in
the fridge to quickly cool. Whip the cream until it is
thick and holding peaks.
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Halve the remaining
strawberries and trim so they're the same length - so when
they are sitting on the sponges, they don't come above the
top of the tin. Line up the strawberries all the way along
the edge of one of the cakes, cut sides flat against the
side of the tin. When the puree is cool, fold through the
whipped cream until evenly mixed, then pile into the tin,
spreading to fill all the strawberry corners and smooth
the surface.
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Remove the remaining sponge
from its tin.Turn the cake onto the mousse to top, and peel away the
paper. Gently press into the mousse to stick and chill for
5 hours or overnight to set.
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Just before serving, dust heavily with icing sugar.
Serve immediately. It will keep in the fridge
for up to 2 days.
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DAILY
DINNERS 
