Sunday 23 March 2014

Le Fraisier cake

Are you planning to make a cake for Mother's Day?
How about something like a Le Fraisier cake?

UK Mother's Day is on the 30th March, I know that in other countries, Mother's Day is in May.
But if you're not in the UK, you can book mark this recipe for later. 

My version of the Le Fraisier is very simple, I haven't used creme patissirie but substitute it with heavy cream and custard instead, saw this on a James Martin programme and that is what he used.
If it's good enough for a professional then it's good enough for everyone else.
 I'm always looking for quick and easy alternatives.

If you like to try this then here is the recipe.



Ingredients:
Prepare a 7inch sponge (recipe below)
Marzipan
Strawberries
150g sweet heavy/double cream
150g ready to eat custard
fruits to decorate
chocolate icing to pipe your message


7 inch sponge:
3 eggs
90g plain flour
90g caster sugar
30g melted butter
1. Tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Whisk eggs with sugar until light and fluffy (to ribbon stage)
Sift flour into 3 batches and fold in carefully until combined.
Mix melted butter & vanilla extract together and pour into the batter.
Fold until all have combined.
Pour batter into a lined 7 inch cake tin and bake in a preheated oven of 180c for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Take out the oven and wait 5 minutes before you remove from the tin, peel off the baking paper and cool on a wire rack.
 

Once the sponge have cooled, divide into 3 layers. You only want the top and the bottom layers.
So you can save the middle layer to make other cakes or just eat it as it is.


Using a cake ring, adjust the size to the same as the sponge.


Roll out some marzipan and using the cake ring to cut around the marzipan so you will have a piece exactly the same size as your sponge.  Leave to chill in the fridge while you prepare the cake.
 

Add custard to the whipped cream.
Place the bottom layer of sponge into the cake ring.
Line around the sides with strawberries. Try to cut them into the same size.
I had all sorts of sizes in my punnet so save the left overs for the filling later.
Fill your custard cream mixture into a piping bag.

 
Pipe half the custard cream into the bottom.
Add some chopped strawberries in the middle.
Pipe custard cream in between the strawberries making sure all gaps are filled.
Pipe the rest on top.
 

Using a back of a spoon, spread the custard cream evenly covering all the strawberries.
Place the another layer of sponge on top, this should fit perfectly.
Press gently to make it level.
With some cream or you can reserve 2 tbsp of the custard cream, spread it over the sponge. 
You do this to stick the marzipan in place.


Place the Marzipan on top and press down to stick.
 Add fruits to decorate.
Pipe patterns and your message on top.
(Oops!Writing & pattern was a bit wobbly!!)

And there you go, one Mother's Day cake made in an hour!
 
 
My verdict; really creamy and soft.
Great as a dessert.


12 comments:

  1. Im very new in baking. Pls dont mind .....what is marzipan? TIA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Thilaga,

      Marzipan is a sweet yellow or white paste of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites, used to coat cakes or to make confectionery. You can buy ready made ones in the supermarket along the baking aisle.

      Delete
  2. What is the proportion of custard to whipped cream

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sunitha, I weighed 150g of cream and whipped it up as for the custard, it was a 150g pot of ready to eat. I just mixed the custard in after I whipped the cream. Add icing sugar to taste as you want it sweet.

      Delete
  3. Hi Mandy, I am glad I chanced upon your beautiful blog. Wow, you are very talented and creative in baking! Your Le Fraisier cake is so beautiful and awesome. Thanks for sharing and you have a great day :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ivy, thank you for your kind comments. I hope you will try out some of my recipes. Baking is my passion and its my pleasure to share & inspire others. Hope bring out more new recipes soon.

      Delete
  4. Hi Mandy,
    I just came across your beautiful blog and was happy to see you sharing all your bakes which I'm very eager to try your recipes. As for the above recipe what brand of ready eat custard you used or can u share a pic of the custard. Thanking u in advance.

    Rgrds

    Janice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janice,
      Thank you for your message, I'm in UK and I used a brand called Ambrosia. It comes in small 150g pots. You be able to search online the picture of this product by typing in Ambrosia custard.

      Delete
    2. Hi Mandy,

      Thanks for your reply. Will googled to chi it out. I haven't seen this product here in Penang,Malaysia.

      Delete
    3. Oh yes Mandy, is instant custard powder (after mixing with milk/water) is the same as this ready to eat custard ?

      Delete
    4. As long as the custard is thick after you have cooked it then it should taste like ready to eat ones. Make sure the filling is thick otherwise the cake will collapse when you release it.

      Delete
  5. awesome :)

    Anne

    ReplyDelete