Fraisier Strawberry Wedding Cake

For the génoise sponge sheets: Break the hole eggs into the stand mixer recipient.

Add the castor sugar.

Using a hand whisk, whip over a bain-marie. Using a hand whisk, whip over a

Finish beating with the food mixer or electric whisk until cooled down completely.

If you do not have a food mixer, you can finish beating manually.

The preparation is ready when doubled in volume.

Using a fine sieve, sift the flour and add it to the preparation...

... stirring gently with a rubber spatula or a skimmer in rotating motions.

Pour the preparation on a Silichef XL baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.

Spread the preparation with a cranked metallic spatula.

... until cooked and golden.

When cooked, leave to cool on a rack.

For the pink almond paste: Cut the white marzipan into large cubes. Place in the mixer. This operation can also be done manually.

Work the almond paste until the colour is homogeneous. Finish working the dough with your fingers.

... making sure the circles are centred.

Using scissors, cut the 2 rings and the small disc.

Roll out the pink marzipan to a thickness of 2 or 3mm. Using the cardboard disc and rings as a guide, cut the marzipan to the same dimensions. Make sure you cut the marzipan a little bit wider than the guide.

... and set aside, flat on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Repeat the operation until you have 2 rings. Making whole rings will be too difficult, so I recommend making two half-rings per level.

Repeat the operation to create a marzipan disc. Reserve the marzipan shapes at room temperature, covered by a cloth.

For the crème mousseline: In a mixing bowl, tip the sugar, the egg yolks and the whole eggs.

Blanch the ingredients using a whisk.

Add the crème pâtissière powder or cornflour.

Pour the preparation into the boiling milk (infused with a vanilla pod split in two).

... until the crème pâtissière has thickened. The cream should cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Leave to cool.

When cold, transfer the preparation into the stand mixer recipient and remove the vanilla pod. Due to the large quantity of preparation, it is best to do this operation in 2 batches.

Add the soft butter. The butter should be at the same temperature as the cream to incorporate well. If the preparation has a grainy texture, slightly heat the sides of the bowl with a blow torch to melt the grains and obtain a homogeneous consistency.
Beat for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the kirsch. The quantity varies according to the desired flavour intensity. Make sure you taste the preparation before adding more liqueur.

Combine, then remove the bowl from the mixer. The cream should be smooth and homogeneous.

Using the largest ring (diameter 36cm), cut a disc of génoise sponge.

Use the tip of a knife and cut along the inner rim of the ring.

Discard the pastry scraps.

Place the small ring in the centre of the medium one.

Coating the biscuit in chocolate: Melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave.

Apply the melted chocolate over the biscuit with a brush (technique known in French as 'chablonner'.

Leave to cool for the chocolate to set.

Place the largest stand from the mould kit on a cake board, cut to the same dimensions.

Place the medium stainless steel ring around the stand.

Gently lift the largest ring of sponge cake...

... and place it at the bottom of the mould. The side coated with chocolate should be facing down.

The biscuit can be assembled in several pieces at the bottom of the mould.

Wash the strawberries under running water without manipulating them too much not to damage them. Hull. Sort the strawberries by size (large, medium, small). The large ones will be used to decorate the surface of the cake, the medium ones around the edges and the small ones for the filling.

Arrange the large strawberries (halved) vertically inside the ring, with the cut side facing the ring.

Repeat the operation until the strawberries line the inside of the ring all around.

Using a piping bag (no nozzle needed), pipe a thick lace of crème mousseline...

... all over the biscuit base.

This will get rid of any air bubbles between the strawberries.

... and with the palette knife, make the cream go up the sides of the plastic mould.

Fill the cavity with strawberries (the smallest ones). Hull and halve them.

Bury the strawberries in the cream with the spatula...

... then cover with another layer of cream.

Arrange another layer of halved strawberries...

Finish with a thin layer of cream if needed...

... and even the surface with a spatula. It is fine if you see strawberries through the cream, but make sure the surface is perfectly even.

Cover with cling film...

Place the medium stand from the mould kit on a cake board, cut to the same dimensions.

Gently lift the largest ring of sponge cake and place it at the bottom of the mould. The side coated with chocolate should be facing down.

Brush the surface of the biscuit with syrup. Apply a generous amount of syrup.

Arrange large strawberries (halved) vertically inside the ring, with the cut side facing the ring.

Using the piping bag, pipe a thick lace of crème mousseline all over the biscuit base.

With the small palette knife, create a volcano shape, so that the crème goes all the way up the rim.

Pipe a second lace of cream...

... and with the palette knife, make the cream go up the sides of the plastic mould.

Fill the cavity with strawberries (the smallest ones). Hull and halve them.

... then cover with another layer of cream.

Arrange another layer of halved strawberries...

... then bury them in the cream.

Finish with a thin layer of cream if needed...

... and even the surface with a spatula.

... and reserve in the fridge.

Place the small stand from the mould kit on a baking sheet.

Place the small stainless steel ring around the stand.

Gently lift the disc of sponge cake and place it at the bottom of the cake. The side coated with chocolate should be facing down.

Brush the surface of the biscuit with syrup. Apply a generous amount of syrup.

Arrange large strawberries (halved) vertically inside the ring, with the cut side facing the ring.

Using the piping bag, pipe a thick lace of crème mousseline all over the biscuit base.

Fill the cavity with strawberries, then cover with cream...

... and even the surface with a spatula. It is fine if you see strawberries through the cream, but make sure the surface is perfectly even. Cover with cling film and reserve in the fridge.

Assembling the cake: When all three levels are cold and the cream is set, take out the large one.

Take the large disc of marzipan you prepared earlier...

Use a sharp knife for neat edges.

Discard the marzipan excess.

Place the marzipan disc on top of the large cake.

... then slide a rolling pin along the edges of the ring...

Gently cut the marzipan at both ends...

... and arrange the second piece on the other half of the cake.

Make sure both parts are perfectly lined up.

Take the medium level out of the fridge and remove the cling film.

Repeat the same operation as the large one, this time using an 18cm stainless steel ring to cut the centre.

Discard the pastry scraps...

... and place the first piece on top of the medium cake. Arrange it on the surface...

... then slide a rolling pin along the edges of the ring and remove the excess.

Gently cut the marzipan at both ends...

... and place the second piece...

Arrange well on the surface.

Make sure both parts are perfectly lined up.

Take the small level out of the fridge and remove the cling film.

Place the disc of marzipan on top of the cake and slide a rolling pin along the edges of the ring. Remove the excess.

The final result should look like this.

... then gently slide it upwards...

... and remove the ring.

Repeat the operation with the medium cake, using the same method with the blow torch.

Using the built-in handle, lift the medium level...

... and place on the central base of the large cake.

Release the small cake from the ring, using the same method with the blow torch.

Gently remove the ring by sliding it upwards.

Gently place the small level on top, perfectly centred.

For the Chantilly cream: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Sift the two ingredients together.

There should be no lumps.

Beat the whipping cream (35% fat content). Make sure the whipping cream is really cold. Add the sifted ingredients when you start whipping the cream...

For the finish: Using a piping bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré nozzle, pipe the Chantilly cream on top of the cake and at the base of each level to create a crown.

Halve the best looking strawberries that are left.

Insert a wooden pick on one strawberry...

... and dip it in melted red glaze. If you don't have any red glaze, you can use clear apricot glaze. If you wish, you can add some red colouring to the apricot glaze, and perhaps some strawberry flavouring.

Remove the strawberry, then let the glaze excess drip off...

Leave to cool and repeat the operation with all the strawberries.

Make sure they are harmoniously lined up.
I used whole strawberries coated with glaze to decorate the top part of the cake, then I filled the centre with Chantilly cream.

For a sophisticated effect, apply some gold colouring powder on the strawberries.
Dip a pastry brush in some kirsch liqueur, then in the gold powder...

...et appliquer la poudre d'or par touches sur les fraises.

... and give a light brush on each strawberry.
The final result should look like what is shown in the photo.

Finish by arranging a few leaves of fresh mint and homemade mini strawberry macarons on top.

This unique mould kit allows you to cut a slice of cake at any level without causing the whole structure to collapse. Each level is separate to ensure optimal stability.
If you are making a cake with three different flavours (1 tier = 1 flavour), this mould allows you to easily serve a slice from each level.