Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a light, gelatine-set strawberry cream, built on a warm strawberry and egg yolk base that is cooled and then folded through softly whipped cream. A small amount of rose water lifts the strawberry flavour without turning it perfumed, and diced fresh strawberries are folded in at the end so there is fruit in every spoonful.
The finished cream is pale pink, mousse-like and sets firm enough to hold a clean cut. Use it as a filling between sponge layers, as the main layer in a ring-moulded entremet, or spoon it into glasses and serve it as a dessert on its own.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
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Weight Per Unit: 1152
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: 20 cm round cake ring, about 4 cm deep
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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200 |
7 ounces
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Fresh Strawberries
Fresh strawberries are a soft red summer berry with a sweet-tart flavour. For cooked bases they are hulled and blended to a purée; very ripe fruit gives the best colour and flavour.
ripe
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hulled and puréed |
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B
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Sugar
Sugar is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide. (In the body, sucrose hydrolyses into fructose and glucose.) Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose. Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides. Chemically-different substances may also have a sweet taste, but are not classified as sugars. Some are used as lower-calorie food substitutes for sugar described as artificial sweeteners.
caster
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C
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30 |
1 fluid ounce
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Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice is the juice squeezed from whole lemons and strained of seeds and pulp. It gives a natural sharpness and aroma that bottled juice cannot match, and roughly three medium lemons will yield the amount needed here.
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strained |
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D
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40 |
2 Egg Yolks
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Egg Yolk
The egg yolk is the internal yellow part of an egg.
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room temperature |
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E
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2 |
0.4 teaspoon
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Rose Water
Rose water is a clear, fragrant liquid made by steeping or distilling rose petals in water. It is used a few drops at a time in creams and syrups, as too much quickly tastes soapy.
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F
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10 |
0.4 ounce
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Gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from Latin: gelatus meaning "stiff", "frozen") is a translucent, colourless, brittle (when dry), flavourless foodstuff, derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar way are called gelatinous. Gelatin is an irreversibly hydrolyzed form of collagen. It is found in most gummy candy as well as other products such as marshmallows, gelatin dessert, and some ice cream, dip and yogurt. Household gelatin comes in the form of sheets, granules, or powder. Instant types can be added to the food as they are; others need to be soaked in water beforehand.
powdered
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G
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20 |
1 tablespoons
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Water
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cold |
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H
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500 |
2.1 cups
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Thickened Cream
Cream is used as an ingredient in many foods, including ice cream, many sauces, soups, stews, puddings, and some custard bases, and is also used for cakes. Perfect for pouring, baking, whipping or adding the indulgent touch to your favourite recipes.
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cold, softly whipped |
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I
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250 |
8.8 ounces
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Fresh Strawberries
Fresh strawberries are a soft red summer berry with a sweet-tart flavour. For cooked bases they are hulled and blended to a purée; very ripe fruit gives the best colour and flavour.
ripe
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hulled and diced |
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1152
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
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Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Sprinkle F (gelatine powder) over G (cold water) in a small bowl and leave it to swell. |
Gelatine fully hydrated and spongy, no dry powder |
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2 |
Blend |
Hull and blend A (fresh strawberries) to a smooth purée. |
Smooth, no large pieces |
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3 |
Cook |
Put the strawberry purée with B, C and D (caster sugar, lemon juice and egg yolks) in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk constantly. |
Thickened to a light custard and reaching about 75°C (167°F); never let it boil or the yolks will scramble |
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4 |
Dissolve |
Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the swollen gelatine until it disappears, then stir in E (rose water). |
Completely clear, no gelatine granules left |
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5 |
Cool |
Strain the base through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and leave it to cool, stirring now and then. |
Cool to room temperature and just beginning to thicken, but not set |
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6 |
Whip |
Whip I (thickened cream) until it holds soft peaks. |
Soft, floppy peaks only; over-whipped cream will make the mousse grainy |
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7 |
Fold |
Fold a third of the whipped cream into the cooled strawberry base to loosen it, then fold through the rest in two lots. |
Even pale pink colour, no streaks, still light and airy |
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8 |
Fold |
Gently fold L (diced fresh strawberries) through the cream. |
Fruit evenly spread without breaking the mixture down |
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9 |
Fill |
Pour or pipe the cream straight into a lined 20 cm ring set on a sponge base, or into serving glasses, and level the surface. |
Work quickly before the gelatine begins to set |
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10 |
Set |
Refrigerate until firm. |
At least 4 hours, or overnight; the surface springs back lightly and cuts cleanly |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 1,150 g of set cream, enough for one 20 cm round ring layer about 4 cm deep, or six to eight dessert glasses. The sheet carried no method or tips, so the working method here is the standard one for a cooked-yolk fruit cream.
The base is cooked with egg yolks, so take it to about 75°C (167°F) over a water bath for safety, whisking the whole time. Let it cool to room temperature before the cream goes in: too hot and the cream will melt, too cold and the gelatine will set in lumps. Keep the finished cream refrigerated and use within two to three days, as it contains fresh fruit and cream. It can be frozen inside a ring for assembly work, but the diced strawberries will soften a little once thawed.
Tools & Arrangements
Blender or stick blender, fine sieve, heatproof mixing bowl and saucepan for a water bath, whisk, electric mixer or hand beaters, rubber spatula, digital thermometer, 20 cm cake ring with acetate collar or serving glasses.
