Strawberry cake à la Cyril Lignac & Benoît Couvrand

Ingredients

• 4 g Gelatin sheets (About 2 sheets, to soak in cold water)
• 2.4 L Heavy cream (Divided: 2.16 L for the infusion, 260 mL cold)
• 3 Vanilla beans (Seeds scraped, pods split for infusion)
• 415 g Covering white chocolate (Divided: 115 g for the ganache, 100 g for the sponge, 200 g for the dusting)
• 200 g Cocoa butter (For the red dusting)
• 650 g Granulated sugar
• 20 g Liquid glucose
• 8 g Pectin + NAS (For the strawberry compote and jelly)
• 30 g Lemon juice (About 2 tbsp)
• 800 g Gariguette strawberries (Divided: 465 g for the compote, 250 g for assembly, 75 g for the jelly, remainder for decoration)
• 240 g Strawberry purée
• 10 g Organic orange zest (About the zest of half an orange)
• 200 g Unsalted butter (30 g melted for the sponge, the rest for assembly)
• 40 g T45 flour
• 40 g Potato starch
• 10 Egg yolks (About 480 g)
• 25 g White marzipan
• 10 g Yellow marzipan
• 30 g Powdered sugar (For green coloring)
• few drops Liposoluble red food coloring (For the jelly and dusting)
• few drops Powdered green food coloring (For coloring decorative powdered sugar)
• few drops Neutral glaze (For the pink finish)

Instructions

1. Hydrate the gelatin

   Place the 4 g of gelatin sheets in a large bowl of cold water and let soak for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

2. Vanilla cream infusion

   Pour 2 160 g of heavy cream into a saucepan, add the seeds and split pods of the 3 vanilla beans. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let infuse covered for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Prepare the white ganache

   Remove the vanilla pods. Pour the hot cream in two portions over 115 g of covering white chocolate, stirring vigorously with each addition until the chocolate is completely melted.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: ~80°C

4. Incorporate the cold cream

   Add the 260 g of cold heavy cream to the ganache, then blend with an immersion blender until a homogeneous, glossy texture is achieved.

   Time: PT5M

5. Ganache resting

   Cover the ganache with film, place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).

   Time: PT4H

   Temperature: 4°C

6. Melt the butter for the sponge

   Melt 30 g of butter in a small saucepan, let cool to room temperature.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: ~30°C

7. Bain‑marie of egg yolks, sugar and zest

   In a mixing bowl, combine the 10 egg yolks, 500 g sugar and 10 g orange zest. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and whisk until reaching 55 °C.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 55°C

8. Cool and whisk the mousse

   Remove the bowl from the bain‑marie, let cool completely, then whisk vigorously until a ribbon forms a thick band.

   Time: PT5M

9. Incorporate the melted butter

   Take a small amount of mousse into a bowl, add the cooled melted butter, mix, then fold this mixture back into the rest of the mousse gently.

   Time: PT2M

10. Sift the powders and incorporate

    Sift 40 g of T45 flour and 40 g of potato starch over the mousse, then gently fold in using a spatula.

    Time: PT3M

11. Baking the sponge

    Preheat the oven to 210 °C. Pour the batter onto a greased silicone sheet or parchment paper, spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, then immediately lower the temperature to 190 °C and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 190°C

12. Cool and cut the layers

    Let the sponge cool for 10 minutes, then flip the sheet to release the two 18 cm discs. Keep the trimmings for decoration.

    Time: PT10M

13. Glaze the first layer with white chocolate

    Melt 100 g of white chocolate in a bain‑marie, brush the first sponge layer with a pastry brush to prevent the ganache from becoming soggy.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: ~45°C

14. Strawberry compote

    Coarsely chop 465 g of strawberries, place in a saucepan with 165 g strawberry purée, 40 g sugar, 20 g glucose. Add 4 g pectin + 4 g NAS pre‑dissolved in the remaining sugar. Bring to a boil, add 30 g lemon juice, then reduce for 15 minutes. Roughly blend, let cool then refrigerate until set.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 100°C

15. Strawberry jelly

    In a small saucepan, heat 75 g strawberry purée, add 15 g sugar, 1 tsp pre‑dissolved pectin, a few drops of lemon juice. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, add a few drops of red coloring. Pour into a small mold, refrigerate for 1 hour until set.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 100°C

16. Assembly – whisk the ganache

    In the mixer bowl, pour the very cold ganache, add the 250 g whole strawberries, whisk at medium speed until a silky texture is achieved (do not over‑whip).

    Time: PT5M

17. Assemble the strawberry cake (bottom layer)

    Line the 20 cm assembly ring with plastic wrap and place the rhodoïd band. Pour a generous layer of ganache onto the base, place the first sponge disc, smooth the ganache around the edges with an offset spatula.

    Time: PT5M

18. Add the strawberries and compote

    Arrange the whole strawberries on the disc, generously glaze the strawberry compote into the gaps, form a second ganache ribbon around the strawberries, then place the second sponge disc (white chocolate side against the strawberries).

    Time: PT10M

19. Finishing and freezing

    Create a final ganache ribbon around the cake, smooth the surface, place the strawberry cake in the freezer for 1 h to 1 h30 (no longer, the interior strawberries must not freeze).

    Time: PT1H30M

    Temperature: -18°C

20. Red dusting

    Melt 200 g white chocolate with 200 g cocoa butter in a bain‑marie, add the liposoluble red coloring, blend until a deep red color is achieved. Pour the mixture into the reservoir of a food‑grade spray gun and spray evenly over the frozen cake from ~30 cm distance.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: ~45°C

21. Final decoration

    Roll out the white and yellow marzipan thinly between two sheets of parchment, cut flowers with cookie cutters, color the center yellow. Mix powdered sugar with powdered green coloring, incorporate pieces of green sponge. Arrange three strawberry jelly cubes, three green sponge pieces, three strawberries quartered, then place the marzipan flowers. Add a few drops of neutral glaze for a rosy effect.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

420

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Gelatin sheets: Powdered gelatin (2 g)
• Instead of Heavy cream: Double cream
• Instead of Vanilla beans: Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
• Instead of Covering white chocolate: High‑quality white chocolate
• Instead of Cocoa butter: Cocoa‑based vegetable butter
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Liquid glucose: Glucose syrup or corn syrup
• Instead of Pectin + NAS: Pectin powder only (adjust the dose)
• Instead of Lemon juice: Apple cider vinegar (1 tsp)
• Instead of Gariguette strawberries: Wild strawberries
• Instead of Strawberry purée: Homemade strawberry compote
• Instead of Organic orange zest: Candied orange zest
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine
• Instead of T45 flour: All‑purpose flour
• Instead of Potato starch: Cornstarch
• Instead of Egg yolks: Whole eggs (adjust quantity)
• Instead of White marzipan: Homemade marzipan
• Instead of Yellow marzipan: Tinted homemade marzipan
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Very fine granulated sugar
• Instead of Liposoluble red food coloring: Liquid food coloring
• Instead of Powdered green food coloring: Liquid green coloring
• Instead of Neutral glaze: Liquid vanilla glaze

Equipment Needed

• Large bowl for gelatin
• Medium saucepan
• Cooking thermometer
• Immersion blender
• Plastic wrap
• Silicone sheet or sponge mold
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Bain‑marie (bowl and saucepan)
• Electric whisk or stand mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Fine sieve
• 20 cm assembly ring
• Rhodoïd band (or non‑stick film)
• Food‑grade spray gun
• Pastry brush
• Paring knife
• Cutting board
• Flower cookie cutters
• Container for colored powdered sugar mixture
• Piping bag and plain tip
• Freezer

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Properly hydrate the gelatin
• Vanilla cream infusion without overheating
• Achieve a glossy ganache before resting
• Baking the sponge at precise temperature
• Assembling the cake without deflating the ganache
• Precise freezing to prevent the strawberries from freezing
• Spraying the red dusting (very messy step)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use organic orange zest for a more intense aroma.
• Cool the sponge on a rack before cutting.
• For a shinier finish, pass the ganache through a sieve before assembly.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Keep the whole strawberry cake covered with plastic wrap for a maximum of 2 days.

Freezer: The cake can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator 4 hours before serving.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the vanilla ganache the day before and keep it refrigerated.
• Bake the sponge and store it at room temperature, well wrapped.
• Make the strawberry compote and jelly 24 hours ahead.