Pastry Language: Fraisier

I can't let go of strawberries just yet. I've been waiting what seems like a lifetime for them.

Last strawberry season I made my first Fraisier but it wasn't mind blowing. I decided to give it a second chance. This time I used a Laduree recipe and it turned out incredible.

Fraisier is the classic French cake (a staple in every patisserie) made of Genoise sponge split in two and soaked with Kirsch syrup, cream of some kind and of course fresh strawberries. Often topped with a thin layer of almond paste.

It is fairly easy to make and looks amazing.

ALMOND GENOISE SPONGE

50g unsalted butter, melted

200g cake flour, sifted

6 eggs

200g sugar

50g ground almonds

Set the oven on 170C/340F. Prepare cake pan ( I used a square 18"x18" plus 2 mousse rings 6cm).

In a large heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Place the bowl over simmering water and continue whisking until the mixture reaches 50C/122F and triples in volume (it shouldn't take longer than 10min) Remove from the heat and continue to beat until eggs are completely cooled down.

Fold in the flour with a spatula little by little, then ground almonds and melted butter. Very gently mix together. Fill prepared cake pan (greased and floured) with batter. Bake about 30min. Allow to cool for a moment, remove from the mould and place it on a rack.

KIRSCH SYRUP
75ml water
50g sugar
40ml Kirsch
Bring the water and sugar to boil. Allow to cool and then add Kirsch.

PISTACHIO MOUSSELINE CREAM
135g unsalted butter, soft
270ml whole milk
3 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
23g cornflour
90g pistachio paste
In a saucepan bring milk to boil. In a bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar together until slightly pale. Add the cornflour. Pour a third of the hot milk over the mixture to temper the egg yolks. Whisk together and pour the whole thing back into the saucepan. Bring to boil and keep it on the low heat continuously mixing for a while (2-3 min)
Remove from eat and when it is still hot incorporate half of the butter. Cover with cling film and allow to cool. When it reaches room temperature (18-20C/64-68F) whip it with electric mixer until smooth and add pistachio paste and remaining butter. Whip until emulsified. Transfer the cream into a piping bag (it is not necessary but very helpful when assembling the cake).

ASSEMBLY
Wash and hull the strawberries. Using a serrated knife slice the sponge horizontally in half (sometimes in 3 if it's unusually thick) to create 2 discs of cake 1cm thick.
Put the first disk back into a pan or mould, lightly soak with a syrup. Arrange a border of strawberries (sliced in half) around the inside of the mould (cut side out, against the mould). Pipe some mousseline cream. Try to push it in between strawberries, so every gap is filled. Put more strawberries in the centre and cover with the rest of the cream.

Now press gently second disc on the top. That should spread the cream even. Lightly soak with syrup. If you have some cream left, you can spread it on the top.