Strawberry mousse cake
I love this time of the year, especially because strawberries are finally in season. There are so many delicious desserts that you can make from fresh strawberries that it is hard to decide what to bake first.
I made a strawberry mousse before and I was very happy with the flavor and the look and that was my main component in this cake. For the base I wanted something interesting and unusual. I came across a great recipe for a shortbread pastry and on top a lemon biscuit. The whole concept of pouring the biscuit batter on top of a baked shortcrust pastry was very interesting.
The original recipe is from a French pastry chef Christophe Michalak and his amazing looking creation Fantastic praline and lemon. I didn't have the courage to recreate his whole cake, but one day I will definitely give it a go.
I really loved the taste and texture of this lemon biscuit. There was a strong lemon flavor and it complemented the strawberries really well. The shortbread at the bottom gave the cake texture and a crunch. I will definitely use this idea and technique for my future cakes.
The strawberry mousse is quite simple to make and it is based on Italian meringue. The meringue makes it nice and fluffy and not to heavy to eat. The strawberry flavor comes through and it's not overly sweet.
I also had some leftover white chocolate glaze in the freezer ready to be used. I took it out and placed it in the fridge to thaw. After that I heated it up in a double boiler until it was runny again (not over 80°C/176°F). I used a drop of red food coloring (Americolor red) and poured it over the frozen mousse. To get rid of the bubbles in the glaze I use a kitchen torch, which really works well and pops all the bubbles instantly.
I really love the look of this cake, I garnished it with tempered chocolate bowl with different sized holes. I turned it upside down and made a "cage" for a strawberry. For garnish I also made meringue sticks with coconut flakes and crushed pistachios. The recipe for meringue sticks is also from Christophe Michalak and you can find it here. It is probably the best recipe for meringue cookies, the sticks were crunchy and perfectly baked inside. The recipe makes a big batch and they are also delicious on their own or with a cup of coffee.
Time:
Making the lemon biscuit:
In a bowl of your electric or hand mixer whip the egg, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
Using a spatula, gently stir in the heavy cream, sift in the flour and baking powder and mix. Add the oil and gently mix until combined.
Pour the batter on a pre-baked shortbread and bake at 170°C(338°F) for 12-15min or until slightly risen and golden.
Making the strawberry mousse:
Place the gelatin into a bowl of cold water and set aside. Blend the strawberries with a stick blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a pot, save 20g of the puree and set aside.
Bring the rest of the puree to a boil, then take it off the heat, add lemon juice and vodka, stir and add the gelatin. Let the mixture cool completely.
Make the Italian meringue:
In a small sauce pan, put the sugar and the saved strawberry puree (20g) and bring it to the boil over medium heat. Meanwhile place the egg whites in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer.
Start whipping the egg whites when the strawberry syrup reaches 100°C (212°F). The syrup is ready when it reaches 118°C (244°F). Pour the hot syrup over the egg whites whisk at high speed. Keep whisking until the egg whites are cool.
Fold the cooled strawberry mixture with gelatin in the Italian meringue. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/3 of the cream into the strawberry mixture. Pour the mixture back into the whipped cream and fold gently until combined.
Place the gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water.
Assembly:
Unmold the strawberry mouse and place it on the wire rack over a large bowl. Pour over the cooled white chocolate glaze. Start pouring in the middle, so that the glaze will cover the whole surface and the sides. (At this point my battery in my camera was dead so there are no pictures :( ). Tap the wire rack carefully to get rid of excess glaze at the top, or you can use a big offset knife to smooth it.
Gently lift the mousse and place it on a lemon biscuit.
Cut a few fresh strawberries and place them at the sides (they will stick to the glaze).
Place the garnish on the cake and enjoy!
I made a strawberry mousse before and I was very happy with the flavor and the look and that was my main component in this cake. For the base I wanted something interesting and unusual. I came across a great recipe for a shortbread pastry and on top a lemon biscuit. The whole concept of pouring the biscuit batter on top of a baked shortcrust pastry was very interesting.
The original recipe is from a French pastry chef Christophe Michalak and his amazing looking creation Fantastic praline and lemon. I didn't have the courage to recreate his whole cake, but one day I will definitely give it a go.
I really loved the taste and texture of this lemon biscuit. There was a strong lemon flavor and it complemented the strawberries really well. The shortbread at the bottom gave the cake texture and a crunch. I will definitely use this idea and technique for my future cakes.
The strawberry mousse is quite simple to make and it is based on Italian meringue. The meringue makes it nice and fluffy and not to heavy to eat. The strawberry flavor comes through and it's not overly sweet.
I also had some leftover white chocolate glaze in the freezer ready to be used. I took it out and placed it in the fridge to thaw. After that I heated it up in a double boiler until it was runny again (not over 80°C/176°F). I used a drop of red food coloring (Americolor red) and poured it over the frozen mousse. To get rid of the bubbles in the glaze I use a kitchen torch, which really works well and pops all the bubbles instantly.
I really love the look of this cake, I garnished it with tempered chocolate bowl with different sized holes. I turned it upside down and made a "cage" for a strawberry. For garnish I also made meringue sticks with coconut flakes and crushed pistachios. The recipe for meringue sticks is also from Christophe Michalak and you can find it here. It is probably the best recipe for meringue cookies, the sticks were crunchy and perfectly baked inside. The recipe makes a big batch and they are also delicious on their own or with a cup of coffee.
Strawberry mousse cake
(Makes one 18cm)
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooking: 30min
Baking: 35min (2 hours for meringue sticks)
For the shortbread crust:
- 90g soft butter
- 35g icing sugar
- 80g all-purpose flour
- a pinch of salt
- 80g white granulated sugar
- 50g eggs (1 large egg)
- zest of one lemon
- 35g heavy cream
- 60g all-purpose flour
- 1g baking powder
- 20g grape seed/vegetable oil
- 180g strawberry puree (about 250g strawberries)
- half a lemon juice (12g)
- 1/2 teaspoon raspberry vodka (optional)
- 40g room temperature egg whites
- 70g white granulated sugar
- 8g gelatin sheets
- 160g heavy cream
- 135g white chocolate
- 1 gelatin sheet (about 2g)
- 85g heavy cream
- 20g water
- 15g glucose syrup
- 12g vegetable oil
- red food coloring (optional)
- 117g granulated white sugar
- 117g egg whites
- 117g icing sugar
- a few grams of crushed pistachios/coconut flakes
Preheat oven to 170°C/338°F.
Mix the softened butter until you have a paste. Sift in icing sugar and flour.
Mix the butter with icing sugar mixture and add a pinch of salt.
Pipe the dough or spoon it on a 18cm pie circle or a cake mold, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Make it about 5mm thick.
Bake for about 12minutes or until golden brown.
Leave the shortbread in the mold and set aside to cool but don't turn the oven off.
Making the lemon biscuit:
In a bowl of your electric or hand mixer whip the egg, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
Pour the batter on a pre-baked shortbread and bake at 170°C(338°F) for 12-15min or until slightly risen and golden.
Making the strawberry mousse:
Place the gelatin into a bowl of cold water and set aside. Blend the strawberries with a stick blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a pot, save 20g of the puree and set aside.
Bring the rest of the puree to a boil, then take it off the heat, add lemon juice and vodka, stir and add the gelatin. Let the mixture cool completely.
Make the Italian meringue:
In a small sauce pan, put the sugar and the saved strawberry puree (20g) and bring it to the boil over medium heat. Meanwhile place the egg whites in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer.
Fold the cooled strawberry mixture with gelatin in the Italian meringue. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/3 of the cream into the strawberry mixture. Pour the mixture back into the whipped cream and fold gently until combined.
Take a 17cm cake mold and wrap the bottom with plastic foil. Make sure the plastic is smooth and not wrinkled too much at the bottom.
The foil will prevent the mousse from leaking out when in the freezer and it will make a smooth top.
Poor the mousse mixture in the cake mold, gently tap the mold to make the surface even.
Put a layer of plastic wrap on top and place in the freezer for 2 hours or until completely set.
Making the white chocolate glaze:
Place the gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water.
Chop the white chocolate and melt it over a bowl of simmering water. Pour the heavy cream, glucose, water and oil into a pot and bring to a boil.
Place the mixture off the heat and stir in the soaked gelatin. Pour the hot mixture over the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Add red food coloring (if using) and stir.
Pour the glaze into a measuring cup and set aside to cool.
You can keep this glaze in an airtight container in a freezer. Thaw when ready to use and heat up to a pouring consistency before glazing.
For the meringue sticks:
Preheat oven to 85°C/185°F
Place the egg whites in a bowl of your electric or hand mixer and whisk. When foamy start adding the granulated sugar a spoon at a time. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
Sift in the icing sugar and mix gently with a spatula.
Pour the mixture in a piping bag with a round attachment. Pipe the meringue on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Pipe nice strait sticks.
Sprinkle sticks with pistachios or coconut and place them in the oven for 2 hours.
Turn the oven off and let the sticks cool completely in the oven before taking them out and storing them in an airtight container.
Unmold the strawberry mouse and place it on the wire rack over a large bowl. Pour over the cooled white chocolate glaze. Start pouring in the middle, so that the glaze will cover the whole surface and the sides. (At this point my battery in my camera was dead so there are no pictures :( ). Tap the wire rack carefully to get rid of excess glaze at the top, or you can use a big offset knife to smooth it.
Gently lift the mousse and place it on a lemon biscuit.
Cut a few fresh strawberries and place them at the sides (they will stick to the glaze).
Place the garnish on the cake and enjoy!
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