Fraisier

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I have wanted to make a fraisier since I saw Mary Berry making one, but it looked rather complicated. It was a special birthday for my friend, so I decided to have a go and was very happy with the result. It's not as perfect as Mary B's, but tasted good and was a great hit.
I didn't use her recipe either, but one I found in a French magazine, which was giving recipes for using strawberries.
I made the Genoisse sponge the day before to make it a little more solid for the fruit and cream. I also used crème fraiche instead of double cream.

You need 500g strawberries, 500ml crème fraiche, 100g caster sugar

 For the Genoise, you need 125g caster sugar, 100g flour, 75g melted butter and 4 eggs

To make the sponge: preheat oven 180C/gas4     line a 28 cm springform cake tin, sides and bottom

Over a pan of simmering water beat together the eggs and the sugar till they've doubled in volume and become frothy, then take off the heat.
Carefully add the flour and melted butter and mix well. Pour into the tin and bake for 30 mins.
Wash the strawberries and hull them. Cut them into halves.
Whip the very cold cream with the sugar till thick.
Cut the sponge through the middle and put one half in the bottom of the tin. Put half of the cream on top then arrange strawberry slices round the inside of the tin cut side out to make a sort of crown of strawberries. Fill in the middle with the rest of the strawberries, and cover with the rest of the cream and top with the other sponge layer.
Put it in the fridge to set for at least an hour before you serve it.



I thought there was rather too much cream in the middle, so I kept some back and put it on top with a few slices of strawberries and some pistachios. It's certainly not as neat and tidy as some fraisiers, but the taste was good and it's much less complicated to make. The sponge layer, then the fruit and the cream, all give lovely layers of flavour and texture.A good way of using strawberries, rather than the usual tart or flan.




Comments

Suelle said…
It looks delicious, and this recipe makes it sound quite simple! I didn't know you could whip creme fraiche.
30/5/16 12:13 pm
Snowy said…
It has to every cold, Suelle ; didn't have double cream when living in France, so used thick creme Fraiche whipped.
31/5/16 1:44 am
The Caked Crusader said…
It came out so pretty - I love the ring of cut strawberries around the edge
2/6/16 2:55 am
Phil in the Kitchen said…
Looks lovely. Personally I don't trust dishes that look TOO neat and tidy. It's one of those treats that I've always intended to try making but never get around to.
3/6/16 2:14 pm
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