Description
Fraisier is a classic French strawberry cream cake featuring layers of light sponge cake, smooth pastry cream, and fresh strawberries. This elegant dessert is assembled with a rich vanilla pastry cream, a moist sponge base, and decoratively arranged strawberries, making it perfect for special occasions or a sophisticated summer treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Cream
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. (115 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup plus ¾ Tbsp. (45 g) cornstarch
- 1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 1 stick plus 3 Tbsp. (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Sponge Cake
- ½ cup plus 2 ½ Tbsp. (65 g) all-purpose flour
- 7 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. plus 1 ¼ tsp. (180 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg whites
Additional
- 1⅛ lb (500 g) fresh whole strawberries
Instructions
- Make the pastry cream: In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and lightened. Add the cornstarch and whisk to combine. Warm the milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking nonstop until the mixture thickens significantly, about 5 minutes. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap directly on its surface and refrigerate to cool.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper to prepare for the sponge cake batter.
- Prepare the sponge cake batter: Sift the flour to aerate. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with one-third of the sugar until the mixture is light in color and volume. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, gradually adding the remaining sugar halfway through the whipping to stabilize them. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture, maintaining as much air as possible, and then fold in the sifted flour gently until combined.
- Bake the sponge cake: Spread the batter evenly onto the prepared sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes until the cake is set and lightly golden. Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely.
- Cut the cake: Carefully peel off the parchment paper and using a cake ring, cut out two circles from the sponge cake of equal size.
- Make the buttercream mixture: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the room temperature unsalted butter until it is light and creamy. Add the chilled pastry cream and beat until the mixture is fully incorporated and smooth. Transfer this cream mixture to a separate bowl.
- Assemble the cake base: Place one cake circle inside the cake ring on a serving plate.
- Prepare strawberries: Quickly rinse the strawberries and pat them dry well with paper towels. Select one dozen of the most attractive strawberries for decoration and set aside. Hull and halve the remaining strawberries so they are similarly sized.
- Place strawberries around the edge: Arrange the halved strawberries with the cut side against the inside edge of the cake ring on top of the first cake layer, forming a perimeter.
- Seal the strawberries: Spoon a small amount of the pastry cream over the strawberries around the perimeter to adhere them to the cake ring.
- Fill center strawberries: Place the hulled whole remaining strawberries in the center space of the cake circle.
- Cover with cream: Spread a layer of pastry cream over the strawberries, filling in gaps and evenly covering the fruit.
- Add second cake layer: Place the second cake disk on top of the cream and strawberries, pressing lightly to set.
- Top layer cream: Spread a thin, even layer of pastry cream on the top cake layer.
- Decorate top with strawberries: Hull the reserved whole strawberries and position them on top of the cake with pointed ends upward, spaced evenly.
- Pipe cream decorations: Fit a pastry bag with a 1/3-inch plain tip, fill with the remaining pastry cream, and pipe pointed mounds of cream between the strawberries on top to finish the decoration.
- Chill the cake: Refrigerate the assembled Fraisier overnight to allow the layers to set and flavors to meld.
- Serve: Just before serving, carefully remove the cake ring and present the cake chilled.
Notes
- Ensure the pastry cream is completely cooled before mixing with butter to avoid melting it.
- Use fresh, firm strawberries for the best texture and appearance.
- When folding egg whites into the batter, fold gently to retain airiness for a light sponge.
- Refrigerating the cake overnight improves flavor melding and makes it easier to slice.
- Removing the cake ring right before serving preserves the neat presentation of the strawberries.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Fraisier, strawberry cake, French dessert, pastry cream, sponge cake, summer dessert
