Fraisier Torte

This show-stopper dessert is packed with fresh strawberry flavor and is perfect for spring and summer holidays.

I was really, really hesitant to try and out this together. I can’t remember specifically which episode, but I know ti was tackled at some point on The Great British bake Off, and I had visions of somehow disappointing Mary Berry with my lack-luster cake (or more likely Paul Hollywood…he seemed to be disappointed a lot).

But truth be told, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Time-consuming, yes. Nerve-wracking…a little bit. Requires a whole lot of time, patience, effort and ingredients…100%. I was afraid one wrong step would throw the whole thing off.

If you break it down, though, it’s a sponge cake soaked in a strawberry syrup, filled with a type of pastry cream and topped with strawberries and jam. Nothing too complicated, right? The whole thing tastes like spring. It’s light and fluffy and not overly sweet. It’s just a gorgeous cake, both in looks and taste. 

Fraisier Torte

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 8

Equipment

• Cake Ring see note for link
• Acetate Cake Collar see note for link
• Piping Bag see note for link
• 6" Cake Pan see note for link

Ingredients

  

Genoise Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2 1/2 tablespoons corn starch

Strawberry Simple Syrup Ingredients

• 1/2 cup strawberries fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Strawberry Compote Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries if using frozen, defrost berries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons powdered gelatin
• 2 1/2 tablespoons water

Mousseline Cream Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups whole milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 sticks unsalted butter softened to room temperature

Strawberry Jam Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 1 teaspoon water
• 16 ounces strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Decoration

• 8-10 fresh strawberries sliced in half

Instructions

 

Genoise Instructions

• To make the genoise, preheat oven to 325 degrees and line an 11” x 17” baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and beat on high speed with the whisk attachment for 6-7 minutes or until thick and pale yellow. Beat in vanilla.
• Sift together flour and corn starch and gently fold into egg mixture.
• Spread evenly on lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until puffed.
• Transfer immediately to a cooling rack to cool completely before removing paper.
• Using a cake ring, cut two 7” circles out of cake and set aside.

Strawberry Simple Syrup Instructions

• To make the simple syrup, combine strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until strawberries break down and sugar dissolves. Mash strawberries. Strain and cool.

Strawberry Compote Instructions

• To make the strawberry compote, dissolve gelatin in water and set aside to bloom for 4-5 minutes.
• Puree strawberries in a blender or food processor.
• Add berries to saucepan, along with sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for two minutes. Add in bloomed gelatin. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Line a 6” cake pan with plastic wrap. Pour compote into lined cake pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set.

Mousseline Cream Instructions

• To make the mousseline cream, in a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, flour, corn starch and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In a sauce pan, warm the milk until it just beings to scald at the edges, making sure not to bring to a boil. Add in the vanilla. Once scalded, slowly drizzle milk into egg yolks, whisking constantly so as not to scramble the eggs (an easy way to do this is to transfer some of the milk to a liquid measuring cup with a spout). Once all of the milk has been transferred to the egg mixture, return everything to the saucepan and heat until it thickens and just begins to boil. Continue to boil for one minute. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, pass through a sieve to eliminate any egg pieces or lumps, and pour into a bowl. Immediately cover with plastic wrap, directly on the surface, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Once the custard has cooled, transfer the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high speed with the whisk attachment for 3-4 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the room temperature custard, one tablespoon at a time, whipping for about 20 seconds between each addition to make sure it is incorporated. Once all the custard has been added, whip for an additional one minute. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and keep chilled until ready to use.

Strawberry Jam Instructions

• To make the jam topping, dissolve gelatin in water and set aside to bloom for 4-5 minutes.
• Add berries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer over medium heat until mixture reaches about 220 degrees (about 10 minutes).
• If desired, blend with an immersion blender for a smooth texture. Add in bloomed gelatin and set in fridge to cool completely.

Assembly Instructions

• To assemble, set your cake ring on a piece of parchment. Line with a strip of acetate.
• Place one of your cake rounds in the bottom of the cake ring. Soak with about half of the strawberry simple syrup. Take fresh strawberry halves and line the outer edge of the cake, with the flat side facing out against the acetate.
• Transfer the mousseline cream to a piping bag and fill the cake ring, using about 3/4 of the cream and making sure to push cream into the spaces between the strawberry halves.
• Remove the strawberry compote from the 6” cake pan and place on top of the mousseline cream, pressing slightly into the cream.
• Place the remaining cake layer on top of the strawberry compote and soak with the remaining simple syrup.
• Top with the remaining cream and set in the fridge for at least two hours until cream is cold and firmly set.
• Once cream has set, warm jam a little in the microwave (you want it barely warm…NOT hot) and pour over chilled cream. Set back in fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Decorate with strawberry slices and enjoy!

Notes

Cake Ring

Acetate 

Piping Bags

6″ Cake Pan