A few weeks later…

Hubby (bringing home flowers): Surprise!

Me (suspicious): What did you do?

And dear friends, happy Lunar New Year from all five of us to you!

Fraisier

(Adapted from Savoury Days)

Cake: 
1 Japanese cotton sponge cake with 4 eggs (recipe here) + 2 tbs milk
2 lbs organic strawberries

Egg custard:
7 g gelatin
4 egg yolks
100 g confectioner’s sugar
35 g corn starch
400 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g heavy cream

Topping cream:
150 g heavy cream
1-2 tbs confectioner’s sugar

To bake cake:

1. Use a 12″ springform pan to bake a cake for the base of fraisier.
2. Brush 2 tbs milk on top and set aside.

To make egg custard:

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle 7 g gelatin on 1 tbs water.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with confectioner’s sugar until the color turns light yellow.
3. Sift corn starch into the sugar-yolk mixture.
4. Gradually add milk and whisk well.
5. In a medium saucepan, pour the egg mixture through a sieve to avoid any lump.
6. Cook over medium heat, whisk constantly, until thicken.
7. Turn off the heat.
8. Add gelatin and mix well.
9. Add vanilla.
10. When the custard is cool, whisk heavy cream until stiff and add to the cool egg custard.
11. Add custard in a piping bag.

To make topping cream:

1. Whisk heavy cream with sugar until stiff. Set aside.

To assemble:

1. Cut about 12 strawberries in half.
2. Slice about 10 strawberries thinly to decorate on top.
3. In the same springform pan, layer the cake in the bottom.
4. Arrange halved strawberries on top of the cake, and around the pan, cut side against the pan.
5. Arrange strawberries on top of the cake. Make sure they fit snugly to each other.
6. Pipe egg custard until it almost covers the strawberries.
7. Add topping cream.
8. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
9. Decorate with sliced strawberries.