Berries and Cream Torte

6/6/2018

Any day spent outside, amongst animals, is better than any day spend inside - alone. I'm fascinated by animals and I really believe that they have a universal attraction. Maybe it's because focussing on creatures other than ourselves forces us to put aside our own desires. Redirecting our attention from ourselves to animals who have the most basic needs, helps us to prioritize the things that are really important in our own lives.

Zoos are a great way to experience animals but I admit that trips to the zoo weren't always peaceful. Zoo days when my kids were little involved a lot of chasing after excited toddlers who ran from exhibit to exhibit and removing curious preschoolers who had perched themselves precariously on fences to get a better view of an animal. The zoo was exhausting to say the least but I still loved it. There's something about watching animals in their "natural" habitat that calms and quiets my soul - in spite of my tumultuous children. It's no surprise that studies show that interacting with animals can actually lead to lower blood pressure levels in people.

Even though my kids are older now, and technically adults, we still like to make zoo visits as a family. We try and squeeze in zoo visits whenever we travel to a new city. We recently visited the Columbus Zoo in Ohio and I just can't say enough great things about this amazing place. It was such a fun day and we made some great memories.

Talk about getting up close and personal with animals. Every one of the animals appeared to be thriving in the environments that their handlers had created for them inside the confines of the zoo.

So how do you end a fabulous day spent at the zoo? With a very simple and decadent Berries and Cream Torte. Fresh berries and whipped cream layered between a simple sponge cake. Sometimes, simple desserts are the best.

Berries and Cream Torte
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries

Cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time.