Fraisier cake

Discover the history of Fraisier cake.

1. Sponge cake

   • 150 gr. eggs
   • 75 gr. pastry flour
   • 50 gr. gound almond
   • 40 gr. powdered sugar
   • 40 gr. white sugar
   • 35 gr. butter
   • 5 gr. baking powder

   • In the mixer bowl, mix the ground almonds and the icing sugar until well blended.
   • Then add the sugar and eggs and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes until all the ingredients are combined. Beat for another 5 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume.
   • Next, add the flour and the sifted baking powder and incorporate it with a rubber spatula avoiding deflating the mixture too much.
   • Finally, add the melted butter and mix just enough to combine.
   • Pour the mixture into a baking tin lined with baking paper with a diameter of 22 cm and bake for 30 minutes at 180º C.
   • Leave to cool to room temperature and set aside.
   • We can prepare the sponge cake the day before and leave it uncovered overnight, so the cake will dry slightly and better absorb the strawberry syrup with which we will soak it later.

2. Strawberry insert

   • 600 gr. fresh strawberries
   • 100 gr. white sugar
   • 30 gr. strawberry liqueur / plum liqueur / Kirsch
   • 20 gr. lemon juice (1/2)
   • 6 gr. agar-agar

   • Add half of the strawberries, the lemon juice and the liqueur to the blender and puree until smooth and uniform.
   • Then transfer the strawberry puree to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Then add the previously mixed sugar and agar agar and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
   • It is important to mix the agar agar with the sugar before adding it to any jam or puree, otherwise lumps may form. By mixing the agar agar with the sugar granules, the agar agar loses its ability to clump together and form lumps.
   • Then add the other half of the diced strawberries, cut into 5 mm thick cubes, and mix with a rubber spatula.
   • Pour the jam into a mould lined with cling film with a diameter of 22 cm and leave to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow it to thicken.

3. Pastry cream

   • 500 gr. whole milk
   • 120 gr. white sugar
   • 80 gr. egg yolks (5)
   • 25 gr. all purpose flour
   • 25 gr. corn flour
   • 5 gr. vanilla

   • Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the egg yolks, the two flours and the sugar with the help of a whisk until there are no lumps.
   • When the milk is about to boil, pour it in a trickle over the previous mixture and, stirring constantly with the whisk, mix it in.
   • Then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens.
   • Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

4. Vanilla mousseline cream

   • Pastry cream
   • 375 gr. butter
   • 150 gr. whole milk
   • 100 gr. white sugar
   • 60 gr. egg yolks (4)

   • Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugar with the help of a whisk until there are no lumps.
   • When the milk is about to boil, pour it in a trickle over the previous mixture and stir it with the whisk.
   • Then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens slightly and reaches 82-84º C.
   • Transfer the cream to the mixer bowl and beat it on low speed to cool it down to 30º C.
   • Then, start adding the room temperature butter in chunks to gradually integrate it.
   • Then, increase the speed to medium-high for 5 minutes to make it creamy and whipped.
   • Finally, add the pastry cream from the fridge and beat until combined. Set aside.

5. Pistachio mousseline cream

   • 160 gr. whole milk
   • 65 gr. raw pistachios
   • 60 gr. butter
   • 40 gr. egg yolks (2-3)
   • 40 gr. white sugar
   • 17 gr. corn flour

   • In a food processor or food grinder, grind the raw pistachios until they become a smooth paste. Then, add the neutral oil and process until it becomes a slightly more liquid and shiny mixture. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.
   • If we are looking for a bright green mousseline, we can soak the raw pistachios in boiling water for about 40 minutes. Then we peel them with our fingers and dry them on a tray in the oven for 40 minutes at 100º C. Once they are dry, grind them.
   • Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour with the help of a whisk until there are no lumps.
   • Next, pour the hot milk over the previous mixture and stir it in.
   • Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat until it thickens.
   • Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to cool to room temperature and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
   • When our cream has thickened, take it out of the fridge and in the bowl of the mixer start beating at low speed.
   • Add the butter in chunks at room temperature and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes so that the cream whips lightly.
   • Finally, add the pistachio paste and beat for a few seconds until it is fully integrated.
   • If the room temperature is high, we can keep it in the fridge, but we will have to allow it to temper before using it.

6. Strawberry punch

   • 60 gr. water
   • 50 gr. fresh strawberries
   • 30 gr. white sugar
   • 30 gr. strawberry liqueur / plum liqueur / Kirsch

   • In a saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat until completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and set aside.
   • In a high blender glass, add the strawberries, cleaned and without the top part of the leaves, together with the liqueur. Blend until you have a liquid sauce without lumps.
   • Finally, pour in the water with the sugar and process with the blender to integrate everything.
   • Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

7. Assembly

   • 500 gr. fresh strawberries
   • 50 gr. dark chocolate (70%)
   • 5 gr. neutral or sunflower oil

   • Start by washing and discarding the leaf part of 200 g of fresh strawberries. Then cut them in half with a slice from top to bottom.
   • In a 25 cm diameter mould, arrange the strawberry halves around the walls of the mould, with the cut side facing outwards.
   • If we want to have a perfect finish for the outer layer of our cake, we can paint the walls of our mould with a little neutral oil and stick a layer of acetate to it.
   • Then, we discard the top of the sponge cake so that we are left with a smooth disc about 3 cm thick.
   • Next, melt the chocolate and neutral oil and brush the bottom of our sponge cake. We wait for it to crystallise.
   • This thin layer of chocolate on the base of the cakes is called chablonner and is used to give stability and rigidity to the base of the cake. In addition, in the case of sponge cakes, it prevents liquids from seeping through.
   • Once the chocolate has completely crystallised, place the disc of sponge cake in the centre of the mould with the chocolate side down. As it is smaller than the diameter of the mould it should fit perfectly between the strawberries, if it doesn't, make a few cuts to make it do so.
   • Next, generously soak the top of the sponge generously with the strawberry punch.
   • Transfer the vanilla mousseline to a piping bag with a 1 cm plain nozzle and fill the gaps between the cake and the strawberries.
   • Apply a 1 cm thick layer of vanilla mousseline on the sponge cake and strawberries and place the strawberry mixture in the centre.
   • Pour more cream to fill the gap between the insert and the walls of the mould and add 1 cm more mousseline on top.
   • With the help of a metal spatula, smooth the surface as best you can and set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
   • When the vanilla mousseline has become firmer, remove it from the fridge and transfer our pistachio mousseline to a piping bag with a 1 cm diameter curled nozzle. The mousseline does not have to be cold from the fridge, allow it to cool before using it.
   • Now wash the remaining fresh strawberries and cut them in half, from top to bottom. If we wish, we can also discard the top part of the leaf.
   • Next, we spread the pistachio mousseline in a spiral shape on the outside of the top of the tart. Then place the strawberry halves next to the pistachio mousseline in a circle.
   • Repeat the previous step until the entire surface of the cake is covered. I had a total of three layers of pistachio mousseline and two layers of strawberries.
   • Keep in the fridge until serving, leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

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