AVA Strawberry Frasiers are a real showstopper of a dessert, perfect for impressing guests around the dinner table or as a delicious treat to yourself.
Although this recipe may seem a little complicated – each of the steps are quite simple and then it is just a question of assembling the dessert. This can be done in advance as it needs some time to set in the fridge. If you are short of time, you could buy a sponge cake and cut a 1cm layer for the sponge part of the recipe. The finished product is a beautiful and impressive looking French inspired dessert.
Makes 4 individual or one large
This recipe has been developed by Jilly McCord
Ingredients -Sponge
- 6 eggs
- 300g caster sugar
- 300g plain flour
- 125g melted butter
Method:
- Line two baking sheets with baking paper
- Pre-heat oven to 180C fan oven
- Whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until it reaches 37C
- Remove from pan and use a hand blender to whisk until it has doubled in size and forms ribbons
- Sift the flour and little by little fold through the egg and sugar mixture – be careful to incorporate fully
- Take some of the mixture and add to the melted butter – mix
- Return the butter mixture to the rest of the egg and sugar – combine by folding
- Divide the mix between the two baking sheets and use a palette knife to spread to about 1cm thick
- Bake for 15 minutes – remove and place on a baking rack
Crème Filling
- 3 egg yolks
- 40g sugar
- 20g cornflour
- 2 gelatine leaves (2g each)
- 175ml milk
- 350ml double cream
- Vanilla bean paste
Warm the milk in a pan with a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until they are pale and fluffy, add cornflour and whisk again
Pour the warm milk over the egg mixture and whisk to combine
Rinse your pan and then return the mixture and heat over a low heat, whisking all the time. The mixture should thicken in the pan.
Soak the gelatine leaf in some cold water then add to the mixture and combine
Cover the mixture with some cling film and leave to cool
Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature whisk the double cream in a separate bowl until it reaches soft peaks.
Take the custard mixture and fold into the whipped cream – place in the fridge until ready to assemble
AVA Strawberry Jelly
- 200g AVA strawberries halved
- 30g sugar
- ½ gelatine leaf
- 30ml Chambord or strawberry liqueur (optional)
Add sugar and AVA strawberries to a pan and heat gently until the juices are released from the fruit
Puree the fruit and pass through a sieve – add liqueur
Soak gelatine in cold water
Keep one third of the puree aside to use in the gateau
Add the gelatine leaf to the remaining warm mixture for the jelly – put in a small jug to make easier
Assemble
You will need: a large cake tin around 20cm or 4 rings around 8cm in diameter for individual ones, a piping bag, some baking acetate if you have it, but not essential
1 punnet of AVA strawberries for filling and to decorate
Try to find several strawberries around the same size – chop in half lengthways (this will be the outer ring of the gateau)
Chop the remaining strawberries into small pieces for the centre (keep a few whole to decorate the finished fraisiers)
Use the ring you are using to cut the size of sponge required. For smaller ones you will need two pieces of sponge per fraisier.
Now put the cream mixture in the piping bag and get all other ingredients ready to assemble (see video)
If you are using baking acetate, line the inside of the ring/cake tin with it
Put a layer of sponge at the bottom the ring/cake tin
Now carefully arrange the halved strawberries around the outside of the tin with the pointy end facing upwards. Make sure there are no gaps.
Brush a little of the strawberry puree over the sponge, then pipe a layer of the cream mixture
Add a layer of the chopped strawberries and a little puree
Pipe another layer of cream mixture
Top with another layer of sponge
Pour the jelly mixture over the top to cover all of the sponge and create a strawberry glaze topping
Place in the fridge for at least an hour
To Serve, carefully remove the ring and acetate.
Simply place some of the AVA strawberries on top with a sprig of mint. Or any other decoration you like. Enjoy!
