Strawberry Fraisier Cake Food

FRAISIER (STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until lightened. Whisk in the cornstarch. In a saucepan, warm the milk, then slowly pour it into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 5 minutes. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Make the sponge cake. Sift the flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and one-third of the sugar until lightened. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks, adding the remaining sugar a little at a time halfway through the beating time. Fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture, then fold in the flour. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Carefully peel the parchment paper from the cake.
• Using the cake ring, cut out two circles from the cake.
• Add the butter to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until light and creamy.
• Add the pastry cream and beat until well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Place the cake ring on a serving plate and place one cake circle on the bottom.
• If necessary, briefly rinse the strawberries and pat them dry on paper towels.
• Set aside one dozen of the most attractive strawberries for the top decoration. Hull and cut similarly sized strawberries in half and place them next to each other around the perimeter of the ring with the cut side touching the ring.
• Cover the strawberries with a little of the pastry cream to seal them against the ring.
• Hull the remaining ones and place in the center of the cake.
• Cover the layer of strawberries with some of the pastry cream.
• Place the second cake disk on top.
• Evenly spread a thin layer of the pastry cream on top.
• Hull the remaining whole strawberries then set them on top of the cake, pointed ends up.
• Scrape the remaining pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/3-in plain pastry tube and pipe pointed mounds of cream on top of the cake between the strawberries.
• Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, carefully remove the ring.

STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Combine the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl and beat on high speed with a handheld mixer until thick, pale and doubled in size, about 4 minutes. Add the yogurt, melted butter and vanilla; beat for another minute. Add the flour, baking powder and salt; mix until just combined, 30 seconds. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the sliced berries on top. Pour the remaining batter over the berries; spread evenly once again. Top decoratively with the strawberry halves and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with honey whipped cream.

MARZIPAN-TOPPED STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch square pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 1/3 cup sugar on high speed in large bowl until slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Mix nuts, flour and baking powder in medium bowl. Fold nut mixture into egg mixture. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn cake out onto rack. Peel off parchment; cool cake completely.
• For Buttercream:
• Whisk yolks, sugar and flour in medium bowl until well blended. Bring half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Slowly pour hot half and half into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return egg mixture to same saucepan and cook until mixture is very thick and boils, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add 8 ounces white chocolate and vanilla extract and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Press plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream to prevent skin from forming; cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon brandy in large bowl until fluffy. Add pastry cream 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition until just blended.
• Melt jam in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons brandy into jam. Cut cake horizontally, into 2 even layers. Place 1 layer on 8-inch cardboard square. Brush half of jam over. Spread 1 cup buttercream over jam. Cover buttercream layer completely with whole strawberries, stem end down. Set aside 1/2 cup buttercream; spoon remaining buttercream over berries, spreading buttercream between and around berries. Spread remaining jam over second cake layer. Place cake, jam side down, atop buttercream. Press cake gently to adhere. Refrigerate cake until buttercream is firm. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover cake and remaining buttercream separately and chill. Bring buttercream to room temperature before continuing.)
• Knead marzipan and 2 drops green coloring in large bowl until color is evenly distributed. Dust work surface with powdered sugar. Roll out marzipan on sugar to 12-inch-diameter circle, sprinkling with powdered sugar as needed to prevent sticking. Spread reserved 1/2 cup buttercream over top of cake. Using rolling pin as aid, drape marzipan over top of cake. Press gently to adhere. Trim marzipan flush with top of cake; reserve trimmings. Brush excess powdered sugar off marzipan. Using long sharp knife, cut 1/3 inch off each side of dessert to expose strawberries. Cut marzipan trimmings into leaf shapes using small cutter.
• Melt 2 ounces white chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Transfer chocolate to small parchment cone. Cut off tip to form small opening. Pipe the word Fraisier atop marzipan layer. Garnish with strawberry halves and marzipan leaves. Refrigerate. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead.)