Description
The Fraisier cake is a classic French dessert featuring layers of delicate almond sponge cake, fresh strawberries, and rich mousseline cream, all topped with a shiny strawberry jelly glaze. This elegant cake involves baking, stovetop pastry cream preparation, and assembling chilled layers to create a visually stunning and luscious treat perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 500 g Whole milk
- 100 g Granulated sugar
- 80 g Egg yolk (approx. yolk of 5 eggs)
- 25 g Corn starch
- 25 g All-purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 Teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
- 100 g Unsalted butter (soft, room temperature)
- 2 Gelatin sheets (1.7 g gelatin per sheet)
Sponge Cake
- 75 g Unsalted butter (82% fat content, room temperature)
- 75 g Powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 Eggs (room temperature)
- 75 g All-purpose flour (sifted)
- Pinch of salt
Strawberry Compote Insert
- 200 g Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 30 g Granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 Gelatin sheets (1.7 g gelatin per sheet)
Mousseline Cream
- Room temperature pastry cream (prepared above)
- 100 g Unsalted butter (soft, room temperature, whipped into cream)
- 150 g Strawberry purée (fresh or frozen strawberries blended)
- 20 g Granulated sugar
- 2 Gelatin sheets (1.7 g gelatin per sheet)
Assembly & Decoration
- 7-8 Fresh strawberries, halved (for sides)
- 2-3 Fresh strawberries (for top)
- Edible flowers (for top decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare the pastry cream: In a large bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks with a hand whisk until slightly fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Incorporate corn starch, flour, and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Heat milk to just simmering, then slowly pour it into egg mixture while whisking vigorously. Return mixture to saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking until thick and glossy, about 1 minute after boiling. Strain if needed. Add soft butter in three stages, mixing with a rubber spatula after each addition until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool.
- Make the sponge cake: Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Using an electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until pale. Add eggs one at a time, continuing to whip. Sift flour and salt, then fold into batter gently with rubber spatula. Grease two 18 cm (7 inch) round pans and divide batter evenly using a digital scale for accuracy. Smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 10 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack. Trim one sponge to 16 cm (6 inch), leave the other at 18 cm (7 inch).
- Prepare the strawberry compote: Puree strawberries, leaving some pieces as desired. Soak gelatin sheets in cold water. Heat strawberry puree with sugar and lemon juice in saucepan until boiling; stir constantly. Remove from heat and stir in squeezed gelatin sheets. Pour into 16 cm (6 inch) silicone pan and freeze until almost set. Place the 16 cm sponge on top and freeze together for easier assembly.
- Make the mousseline cream: Ensure pastry cream and butter are at room temperature. Whip butter until fluffy (1-2 minutes), then gradually add pastry cream in four stages, whipping gently but thoroughly to a stable, fluffy texture. Avoid overwhipping to prevent runniness.
- Assemble the cake: Set an adjustable mousse cake ring to 18 cm (7 inch) size and line inside with acetate collar for smooth sides. Place larger sponge into ring. Arrange halved strawberries tightly on the sponge surface. Pipe mousseline cream over sponge, filling gaps between strawberries. Add frozen strawberry compote insert (strawberry side down, cake side up). Pipe remaining mousseline cream around and on top, smoothing surface with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set the cream.
- Prepare strawberry jelly topping: Soak gelatin sheets in cold water. Heat strawberry purée and sugar until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin sheets. Let mixture cool slightly, then gently pour over chilled cake to cover smoothly. Return cake to refrigerator for 4 hours to fully set jelly and firm up entire cake.
- Decorate and serve: Carefully remove cake ring and acetate. Garnish top with fresh strawberries and edible flowers. Keep cake refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen strawberries for the best flavor in compote and puree.
- Ensure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature for smooth pastry and mousseline creams.
- Chilling layers well before assembly helps maintain cake structure and ease of handling.
- To avoid lumps in pastry cream, whisk constantly and strain if necessary.
- The assembling ring and acetate collar help create neat, professional-looking sides.
- Handle gelatin carefully and avoid overheating to maintain jelly texture.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
