sweet

Japanese Strawberry Shortcake

• source: https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-strawberry-shortcake/
• time: 145
• servings: 8

Ingredients

• 14 g butter for greasing
• 120 g cake flour
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 30 ml whole milk
• 4 eggs
• 120 g sugar
• 30 ml water
• 38 g sugar for syrup
• 15 ml orange liqueur
• 480 ml heavy cream
• 38 g sugar for cream
• 454 g strawberries
• 10 blueberries
• 2 sprigs mint leaves

Cookware

• oven
• 20cm round cake pan
• small bowl
• double boiler
• stand mixer bowl
• bain-marie
• whisk
• silicone spatula
• wire rack
• serrated knife
• cake circle
• offset spatula

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm round cake pan with butter for greasing and line the base with parchment paper. Sift cake flour at least twice.
2. Melt unsalted butter in a small bowl over a double boiler. Once melted, add whole milk and whisk to combine. Set aside to keep warm.
3. In a stand mixer bowl, add eggs and break the yolks and whites. Add sugar and whisk to combine. Set the bowl over a bain-marie and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 40°C. Transfer to the stand mixer and whisk on high speed until pale, fluffy, and tripled in volume, about 2 minutes.
4. Add half the flour and fold gently with a whisk using a downward-then-over motion. Add the rest of the flour and fold until incorporated. Take one scoop of batter and mix into the butter-milk mixture, then pour back into the batter over a silicone spatula and gently fold in.
5. Pour into the cake pan and drop on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes to 25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Drop the pan on the counter, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove parchment, flip back, and cover with a damp towel until cooled.
6. For the syrup, combine water, sugar for syrup, and orange liqueur (optional) and microwave for 1 minute.
7. For the cream, whip heavy cream and sugar for cream over an ice bath using the stand mixer until soft peaks form.
8. Slice the cooled cake horizontally into two layers with a serrated knife. Place the bottom layer on a cake circle and brush with syrup. Spread whipped cream on top, arrange sliced strawberries over the cream leaving the centre open, cover with more cream, then place the top layer. Brush with syrup. Cover the entire cake with whipped cream and smooth with an offset spatula.
9. Decorate the top with halved strawberries, blueberries, and mint leaves. Refrigerate and enjoy within 2 days.