Fraisier (French strawberry cake)
This classic French patisserie is a delicious assembly of 2 layers of genoa sponge filled with strawberries and crème mousseline (confectioner's custard with butter). The sponge is soaked in strawberry syrup and the cake is topped with a thin layer of marzipan.
111,3924.3/5 for 20 ratings
Last modified on: September 18th 2011
For 1 Fraisier (French strawberry cake), you will need:
- 1
300 g strawberries - 2
100 g caster sugar - 3
350 g Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream) - 4
150 g butter - 5
1 Génoise (Genoa sponge) - 6 500 g strawberries
- 7
150 g Marzipan (almond paste) - 8
30 g apricot glaze (optional) - Total weight: 2,080 grams
Change those ingredients for: 1 Fraisier (French strawberry cake) 2 Fraisiers (French strawberry cake) 3 Fraisiers (French strawberry cake)
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
Keeping: A day or two in the fridge.
| Preparation | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour 43 min. | 1 hour | 2 hours 43 min. |
At what time?
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at a certain time?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at a certain time?
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 1 hour
Begin by preparing the strawberry syrup:
Put 300 g strawberries, cut into pieces, in a bowl which can be used in a bain-marie. Add 100 g caster sugar.
Cover with stretch cooking film to seal the container well and place in a bain-marie over very low heat for one hour.
Put 300 g strawberries, cut into pieces, in a bowl which can be used in a bain-marie. Add 100 g caster sugar.
Cover with stretch cooking film to seal the container well and place in a bain-marie over very low heat for one hour.
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Stage 3 - 30 min.
Prepare 350 g Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream). When it is made and has cooled a little (wait 15 minutes), incorporate 150 g butter very cold and cut into small pieces, beating thoroughly until the butter is well mixed in.
This cream is a "crème mousseline".
This cream is a "crème mousseline".
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Prepare 1 Génoise (Genoa sponge). When cooked and cooled, cut this to the shape of your cake, round or square.
You can see that here I have cut it round using a dessert ring. If you do not have one, you can cut round a small plate laid on the sponge.
You can see that here I have cut it round using a dessert ring. If you do not have one, you can cut round a small plate laid on the sponge.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Split the genoa sponge in two through the middle.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Place one circle of sponge on the serving plate and place a dessert ring over it.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Soak the the top of this sponge circle with half the strawberry syrup.
Stage 8 - 5 min.
Spread a thin layer of crème mousseline over the sponge.
Stage 9 - 5 min.
Arrange straberries cut in half around the circle with the cut side towards the outside.
Stage 10 - 10 min.
Then fill the circle with whole strawberries, placed upright.
Stage 11 - 5 min.
Spread the remaining crème mousseline over the strawberries; ideally, they should be completely covered.
Tap the plate gently on the worktop to settle the cream.
Tap the plate gently on the worktop to settle the cream.
Stage 12 - 5 min.
Lay the other circle of genoa sponge on a wire rack and soak with the remaining strawberry syrup, using a brush.
Stage 13 - 5 min.
Then turn this over onto the dessert inside the ring.
This is a tricky operation, so I advise you to turn it over smartly onto a baking sheet to (along with the rack), then slide it onto the top of the cake.
Press gently on the top to make sure it is flat and even.
This is a tricky operation, so I advise you to turn it over smartly onto a baking sheet to (along with the rack), then slide it onto the top of the cake.
Press gently on the top to make sure it is flat and even.
Stage 14 - 10 min.
Roll out 150 g Marzipan (almond paste) thinly (see this page on the subject), then use it to cover the top of the strawberry cake and trim off any excess.
Stage 15 - 5 min.
Decorate with a half strawberry and brush with an apricot glaze. This is not essential, but adds an attractive finish and prevents the marzipan from drying out.
Stage 16 - 3 min.
At the last minute, gently remove the cake from the dessert ring. Your "fraisier" is ready to be served and enjoyed.
Remarks
If you do not have a dessert ring, use a circle of strong card, lined with a piece of stretch plastic film, held in place with a paper clip.
For a quicker finish, you can simply sprinkle the top of the cake with icing sugar in place of the marzipan.
For Gaston Lenôtre, a strawberry cake should be made with butter cream rather than mousseline, and he called it a "Bagatelle".
For a quicker finish, you can simply sprinkle the top of the cake with icing sugar in place of the marzipan.
For Gaston Lenôtre, a strawberry cake should be made with butter cream rather than mousseline, and he called it a "Bagatelle".
Nutritional information
How much will it cost?
- For 1 Fraisier (French strawberry cake) : 10.53 €
Source
Home made, with Catherine as tester. Her portion is shown in the photo.More recipes?
This recipe uses (among others) | Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream): You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Yvetot Douillons, Puits d'amour, Strawberry tart, Saint Honoré cake, Strawberry Verveine Tart , ... All |
| Strawberries: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Strawberries with mint and cream, Strawberry, kiwi and mascarpone verrines, Frozen cottage cheese with strawberries, Strawberry tart, Chouquettes, ... All |
| Butter: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: French onion soup, Eggs Benedict , Quick Strawberry Millefeuille, Celeriac and mushroom gratin, Tea and white chocolate biscuits, ... All |
 | Marzipan (almond paste): You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Agen prune cake, Arizona cupcakes, Piped petits-fours, Provençal colombier for Pentecost, How to make marzipan decorations, ... All |
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