Individual Fraisier cakes, made with elderflower cream, genoise sponge and lots of strawberries, are certain to impress! This recipe is an easier version of a traditional French Fraisier. We also made these in smaller individual portions! Our Elderflower Fraisier is not too difficult to make and is one of those desserts that we like to start the spring/summer season with in our kitchen! Why not make this dessert for an impressive finale for your Easter dinner this year!
1gelatine leaf soaked in cold water for 5-10 minutes
200mldouble cream
300gmedium strawberrieshalved
Instructions
To Make Genoise Sponge:
Preheat the oven to 170°C Fan. Line a small baking tray/ cake tin that fits 4 pastry rings that you will use, with baking parchment.
Put the caster sugar, eggs and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Place it over the pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't tough the water.
Using an electric hand-held whisk, beat the egg mixture until pale, thick and doubles in size. This will take approx 5 minutes. When ready, the egg mixture will leave a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk out. Remove from the heat.
Sift in the flour and fold it all in carefully, trying not to knock too much air out of the egg mixture. When fully incorporated, pour in the melted butter. When combined, pour the mixture into the prepared tin and even out with a spatula.
Bake in the centre of the oven for approx 20 minutes. Your sponge should be golden brown, risen and start coming away from the sides.
Take it out and leave to cool for a few minutes, then invert onto a large piece of baking parchment dusted with some icing sugar. Peel the top baking paper off. Leave the sponge to cool down completely.
Using a pastry ring, cut the four rounds of the sponge. The half each of the sponges sideways.
Place a strip of acetate inside each of the pastry rings. Place the pastry rings on a flat board or baking tray lined with baking parchment or foil. Put thin rounds in the bottom of each ring and brush with elderflower cordial. Then using your fingers press the sponge making sure it gets into the edges of the rings.
To Make Elderflower Cream:
Heat the milk in a small saucepan on very low heat.
In the meantime, whisk egg yolk, sugar, elderflower cordial and cornflower using an electric whisk until pale and doubled in size.
When the milk just reaches boiling point, pour it into the egg mixture whisking continuously. Pour the custard back into the pan that you used for milk and heat for a couple of minutes until it thickens slighty. Then take off the heat.
Squeeze all the moisture out of the gelatine leaf. Pop it into your custard and whisk vigorously to combine. Set the custard aside to cool down.
In the meantime, whisk double cream to soft peaks.
Combine the custard and double cream carefully, trying not to remove much air in the whipped craem.
To assemble, place the cut sides of the strawberries against the acetate along the inside edge of the tin. The strawberry halves should be sitting snugly beside each other.
Place elderflower cream into a piping bag. Then pipe the cream in each pastry ring inside the strawberries and smooth the cream over the top to almost fill the ring mould. Leaving a couple of milimeters at the top.
Place the other half of the sponge round on top and dress down gently. Brush with elderflower cordial and place in the fridge covered for an hour before serving.
When ready to serve, press down to take the Fraisiers out of the pastry rings, then carefully unpeel the acetate. Top with a strawberry quarter and a spring of mint.