Strawberry cake consisting of
– sponge cake soaked in syrup,
– mousseline cream,
– fresh strawberries,
– strawberry jelly.
Equipment used
– 14cm pastry ring, 4.5cm high
– Ancel 210 bloom gelatine
– Tefal baking tray
– Angled spatula
– Rhodoid film, 4.5cm high
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Ingredients
The sponge cake
✔2 eggs
✔55 g sugar
✔30 g flour
✔30 g cornflour
Mousseline cream
✔200 g of milk
✔45g of sugar
✔2 egg yolks
✔7 g of flour
✔70 g butter
✔7 g cornflour
✔liquid vanilla or vanilla pod
+
✔70 g softened butter
The jelly
✔130g puréed strawberries
✔15g caster sugar
✔2g gelatine
Assembly and decoration
✔Strawberries
Syrup
✔30g caster sugar
✔30g water
✔A dash of alcohol
The recipe
Serves 4–6
The sponge cake
✔2 eggs
✔55 g sugar
✔30 g flour
✔30 g cornflour
In a bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar, place the bowl over a bain-marie and whisk until the mixture reaches 55°C. Pour into the bowl of the food processor and whisk until completely cooled. The mixture will double in volume. Then sift the flour and cornflour over the top. Stir gently. Bake in an oven preheated to 210°C, then immediately reduce the temperature to 190°C for 12 to 15 minutes. Once cooled, cut out two circles slightly smaller than your pastry ring.
Mousseline cream
✔200 g of milk
✔45g of sugar
✔2 egg yolks
✔7 g of flour
✔70 g butter
✔7 g cornflour
✔liquid vanilla or vanilla pod
+
✔70 g softened butter
Heat the milk and vanilla. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornflour. Pour in the hot milk, stir, then return to the saucepan. Stir until the custard thickens. Remove from the heat, add 70g of butter, cut into cubes, and blend. Cover with cling film and leave the custard to cool completely. In the bowl of the food processor, whip the remaining 70g of butter until creamy. Then gradually add the chilled mousseline cream to room temperature (the same temperature as the butter). Be sure to use standard butter, not softened or low-fat, as it will harden again when chilled and give the cream and the strawberry cake its structure.
Assembly
Place a 14cm diameter pastry ring on your plate. Place a sheet of parchment paper. Arrange strawberries cut in half all around. Place the first sponge cake layer at the bottom. Brush this sponge with a sugar syrup mixed with rum or kirsch.
Syrup
✔30g caster sugar
✔30g water
✔A dash of alcohol
In a small saucepan, combine 30g of caster sugar and 30g of water, then heat until it comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and add a small dash of alcohol. Mix well.
Pipe on some mousseline cream, a few strawberries cut into pieces, some cream, the second sponge cake layer soaked in syrup and finish with a little cream. Smooth the surface with an offset spatula, then chill for at least 4 hours to allow the butter to set and give your strawberry cake its structure.
The jelly
✔130g blended strawberries
✔15g caster sugar
✔2g gelatine
Blend 130g strawberries and strain to remove the seeds. Pour the strawberries into a saucepan with 15g caster sugar. Place over the heat. Remove from the heat and add 2g gelatine, which has been softened in a bowl of cold water and squeezed dry. I added a drop of red food colouring as the strawberries lose their colour when heated. Stir, then leave to cool before pouring over your cake. I wrapped a second sheet of Rhodoid film around my cake so I could pour the jelly over it. Place in the fridge until the jelly sets.
Garnish with strawberries.
Remember to remove the plastic wrap before serving your cake.
