Strawberry tree

Many of you asked me for the strawberry recipe. So here it is! I offer you my version with pistachio buttercream. This buttercream is light, but light! We even wonder where the butter went! The texture is amazing and I chose not to make a cream that was too sweet. The freshness of the strawberries (from Plougastel!) underlines the airy texture of this cream and the sponge cake is soaked in a kirsch syrup. For me, it is THE cake of the summer! I chose not to decorate my strawberry shortcake too much, but feel free to add whipped cream tips, cut up strawberries or blanched pistachios. The poor strawberry plant in the photos was devoured very quickly and everyone was amazed by its lightness !

/*integrated*/
var u;if(u === window.twWidgets){twWidgets = [];}var id=”twWidgets”.concat(twWidgets.length); document.write(‘‘, ‘‘)); twWidgets.push({id: “4ff6bb54c38c3”, div:id});

Recipe for a 20 cm strawberry dish (8 to 10 people):

For the sponge cake:

-3 eggs at room temperature

-100g of sugar

-100g of flour

-30g of soft butter

Punch syrup for the sponge cake:

-50ml of sugar cane syrup

-50ml of kirsch

For the mousseline cream: (pistachio butter cream + pastry cream)

Pistachio butter cream (butter + pistachio paste + custard)

-290g of soft butter at temperature

-85g of homemade pistachio paste

Custard:

-70g of milk

-30g of yolk (you have to weigh them!!)

-70g of sugar

Custard:

-110g of milk

-a pinch of vanilla powder

-8g of whole milk powder

-25g of egg yolk

-25g of sugar

-4g of custard powder

-15g of soft butter

-600g of strawberry gariguettes

-150g of green almond paste

First, prepare the sponge cake.

Place room temperature eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large bowl (with an electric whisk in your hand!).

Whip at high speed for 10 minutes! And yes! It takes a while, but it allows the mixture to become frothy and very airy!

Add flour and mix gently, lifting, as for a chocolate mousse.

Add the melted butter and mix (always so gently!!).

I completely forgot to take the photos of the sponge cake baking, so I grabbed the ones from my Opera recipe (recipe HERE!). Simply put half of the sponge cake on a plate (and the other half on a second one…!). You have to let the dough spread a little without spreading it all over the baking sheet (as shown on the pictures!!).

Spread as evenly as possible, but not all over the baking sheet. It should look like a circle the same size as the circle used in the recipe.

Transfer to a flared edge plate of the same size (30X40).

Bake at 180°C for 13-15 minutes, keeping an eye on it. The sponge cake should be golden but not overcooked either.

Prepare the pastry cream:

Put the 25g of egg yolks in a bowl with vanilla powder, milk powder, half the sugar and custard powder. (In the photo, there are more yolks than in the recipe!).

Mix well with a whisk.

Boil the milk with the other half of the sugar and the butter.

When the milk is boiling, pour a small amount over the yolk-cream powder mixture.

Mix well.

And pour this mixture into the saucepan in the remaining hot milk.

Return to simmer over low heat. Boil for three to four minutes while whisking.

Pour the pastry cream into a dish.

And cover with stretch film directly in contact with the cream. Let cool completely then store cool.

Prepare the custard:
Blanch the yolks with one third of sugar.

Heat the milk with the remaining sugar over low heat. When it boils, pour over the yolk/sugar mixture while stirring.

Return to low heat and cook like a custard, i.e. without boiling. You can check by cooking to 85°C while mixing!

I continually whip the cream while it cooks to make it airy and smooth.

Pour into the bowl with the whisk (or always into a bowl with an electric whisk!).

Whip on medium speed until cream is room temperature.

The cream then takes on an incredible consistency!

Pour into a bowl and store in a cool place for one hour, with cling film over the bowl.

Put the butter at room temperature (that’s the word of the day!!) in the vat. Whisk for 5 minutes at high speed.

Add cooled custard and whip on high speed for 2 minutes.

Add the pistachio paste. Whisk again for 3 minutes at high speed.

Add the cold pastry cream.

Whisk for another 2-3 minutes. The cream muslin is ready!

Dip a finger in the cream, succumb, get back on your feet and continue.

Here is the Rhodoid. It is a transparent food film that can be found in specialized stores . Simply cut a piece the size of the circle, and place it inside.

Cut the two sponge cakes to the size of the circle.

Place the Rhodoïd cut to the size of the circle’s circumference inside it.

Mix the kirsch and the sugar cane syrup and soak the sponge generously.

Wash the strawberries and choose several of the same size that fit inside the circle, placed on the sponge cake, but not overhanging the circle.

Cut these “clone” strawberries in half and place them around the edge of the circle, against the Rhodoïd.

Then place plenty of strawberries inside the strawberry planter.

Place the buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Place the cream between each strawberry stuck to the wall.

Then fill the cake.

Smooth with a spatula.

Place the second sponge cake on top of the cake, then soak it well with the kirsch punch syrup. Set aside in a cool place with cling film on top of the sponge cake.

Spread the green almond paste on a work surface sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Roll out to the size of the circle to a thickness of 2mm.

Cut with the circle (you can unmould the cake if it is cold, the Rhodoïd allows this in a very simple way).

Place almond paste on top of cake, lightly press the top with the rolling pin to smooth the surface. Decorate with strawberries.

Just before serving, remove the Rhodoïd. You can decorate the strawberry field with cut strawberries, green pistachios, whipped cream… Anything is possible!