German Strawberry Margarita Torte

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 125 g sweet unsalted butter, melted
• 150 g shortbread cookies or 150 g vanilla wafers, crushed into crumbs
• 12 leaves plain gelatin
• 750 g fresh strawberries, washed,hulled,quartered
• 100 ml carbonated lemon-lime beverage (such as sprite)
• 2 teaspoons tequila
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 500 g fresh strawberries, thinly sliced,divided
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 20 g chopped pistachios, optional garnish
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, optional garnish
• fresh mint leaves or lemon balm leaves (optional)

Recipe

• 1 mix together melted butter with cookie crumbs and form a crust in the bottom of a parchment lined 26 cm size springform pan, using a spoon to help press firmly; chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• 2 place gelatin leaves in a bowl of cold water to soften.
• 3 portion out 750 grams of the berries into a blender and puree along with tequila, lemon-lime soda, 150 grams sugar, and the lemon juice.
• 4 remove the gelatin leaves from the water and squeeze out the extra moisture.
• 5 place gelatin in a saucpean and cook over low heat until melted, remove from heat.
• 6 add a small amount of the berry puree into the gelatin and whisk together (this is to temper it- do not skip), then pour the gelatin mixture into the rest of the puree and mix together; chill in fridge 30 minutes.
• 7 beat the cream until soft peaks form, and then gently fold into the partly gelled mixture until combined.
• 8 pour into the crust, smooth evenly with a spatula, and chill 3 hours.
• 9 take 100 grams of the remaining berries and puree along with 1 tsp.
• 10 sugar.
• 11 remove the outer ring from the springform pan and pour the puree over the top.
• 12 decoratively place the remaining berry slices on top of the torte, completely covering the surface.
• 13 toss nuts with powdered sugar- then press the nuts in a ring around the outer edge (or just sprinkle them on top if you prefer- or omit them).
• 14 garnish if desired with some fresh sprigs of mint or lemon balm.