Sheila the Pastry Chef
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The classic fraisier cake

 THE CREME MOUSSELINE

Ingredients
Amounts
Ingredients
Amounts
​Whole milk
2 1/2 cups
Vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 teaspoon
Whole eggs, large
3 
Kirsch, divided
4 tablespoons
Egg yolks
2
Corn starch
1/2 cup
Granulated sugar
1 cup
Butter, softened
1 pound
 1. In a saucepan add 2 cups of the milk and half of the sugar.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the remaining milk and sugar along with the eggs, corn starch and 2 tablespoons of the kirsch.  Whisk the mixture until the ribbon state. Set aside.

3, In saucepan, bring milk/sugar mixture, and vanilla bean to a simmer.  

​4. Once milk begins to come just under a boil, remove from the heat. Using a ladle, slowly temper the milk  mixture into the egg, sugar slurry, a ladle at a time, all while whisking rapidly at the same time.
​5. Add all of the milk from the saucepan. Once tempered, pour egg mixture back into the saucepan.

6. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a 2nd boil, and thickens. About 1 minute.

7. Remove custard from the saucepan, stir in the vanilla and 4 tablespoons of the butter, then continue to stir until butter is completely incorporated. If using vanilla extract, you may add it at this time.

8. Pour the custard into a bowl, or a half sheet pan and cover it with plastic wrap making  sure a layer of the plastic lays on the cream. If your cream has any lumps, press through a strainer
​ 
9. 
Refrigerate the custard until completely cooled.

 THE SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients
Amounts
Ingredients
Amounts
All purpose flour
1/2 cup
Whole eggs, large
3
Corn starch
1/4 cup
Egg whites
2
Salt
1/2 teaspoon
Confectioner's sugar
1 cup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; grease and flour
    one 8" round cake pan. Set aside.


2. Combine the flour, corn starch and salt in a bowl;       mix well and set aside.

3. Crack the eggs into the bowl of your stand mixer,       add the egg whites and powdered sugar and     
     whisk on high speed for 10 minutes, or until the
     mixture is really pale and thick and forms a
     ribbon when you lift the whisk and let it drip.​
​

4. Add the flour mixture by sifting it directly over 
    the eggs, in thirds, and delicately fold with a
    rubber spatula after each addition, being careful
    not to deflate the eggs


5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 
     for about 20 minutes or until the top is nice and
     golden brown and bounces back when pressed
     delicately with your finger.

6.  When baked, remove the cake from the oven
      and allow it to cool slightly in the pan for about
      2 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack to 
      cool completely.

Preparing the Mousilline

Picture

Instructions

  1. Take your chilled pastry cream out of the refrigerator and place it in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whip on high for about 2 minutes, or until the cream is nicely emulsified.
  2. Add the rest of the butter and resume whisking on high, for about 5 minutes or until the cream is light and fluffy.
  3. Put about 1/4 cup of mousseline in a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons of kirsch. Add this back to the main bowl and whisk on high for a few seconds to fully incorporate the alcohol. Set aside until ready to use.

​THE SIMPLE SYRUP

Ingredients
Amounts
Granulated sugar
1/4 cup
Water
1/2 cup
Kirsch
3 tablespoons
​​                                    Instructions
  1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat and keep boiling for one full minute, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has a slightly viscous consistency. Remove from heat, stir in kirsch and reserve, set aside. Put aside 3 tablespoons for the marzipan.

The Marzipan

Ingredients
Amounts
Ingredients
Amounts
Almond flour
1 cup
Kirsch syrup
2 tablespoons
Confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup
Green or Red food
​coloring gel
scant

Instructions

​
  1.  Place the almond flour and powdered sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Grind to combine. Add kirsch syrup that remained from soaking the cake layers and continue grinding until it comes together.
  2. Before adding food coloring, take out a small portion of marzipan for garnishing later. Add food coloring of your choice, then pulse to combine. 
  3. Remove from food processor and knead in your hands until the paste come together.
  4. Use a rolling pin to roll the almond paste between two sheets of parchment paper, into a thin layer. 

The Assembly

Picture

What You Need To Have Ready

  • Strawberries     1 1/2 pounds
  • 10" Round Cake Circle
  • One 8" Round Cake
  • Moussiline Cream
  • Marzipan

Instructions

1. Split your cake into two even layers with a long serrated knife.
2. Place a 9.5" x 3" cake ring on a 10" cake board or plate. Make sure it's well centered.
3. Place one cake, cut side up, right in the center of that cake ring.
4. Hull 10 to 12 large, perfect looking strawberries and slice them in half lengthwise.

​5. Arrange your sliced strawberries vertically, narrow tip facing up, around the circumference of the cake circle with the cut side facing out as this side will be revealed once the cake ring is removed. Press them lightly to ensure good contact with the metal ring.
​​
6. Brush about 1/2 of the kirsch syrup all over the surface of the cake, paying special attention to the edges, then top with about half the reserved mousseline cream; spread it all the way to the edge, making certain that you push the cream well against the ring to fill in all the cracks between the strawberries.

​
​7. Hull and dice 12 medium strawberries and distribute them over the top of the mousseline, making sure that none of them come in contact with the cake ring.

8. Top with the second cake layer, cut side up, press it down lightly and then brush it with the rest of the kirsch syrup.
​

9. Top with the rest of the mousseline cream and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
10. Place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Garnishing with the Marzipan

Picture

Instructions

​
  1. Spread the colored marzipan into a thin 10" disk. Dust your work surface with powdered sugar to prevent the marzipan from sticking, then use a dry brush to brush off any excess.
  2. Carefully remove the ring from around the cake, clean and wipe it dry. Use that cake ring to cut your marzipan into a perfect circle of the perfect size.
  3. Delicately place that disk of marzipan over your cake.
  4. Garnish your cake with with flowers made from the white marzipan. With a fondant flower cutter of plunger cutter tool, cut out as many or as little flowers as you wish to use.
  5. ​To make the flowers adhere to the top of your cake, brush a tiny little bit 
  6. ​Traditionally, you can garnish the cake with cut strawberries

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      • Kid's Baking Workshop Order Form
  • Baking Workshops for Kids