Ann Kathleen Mckay's Strawberry Cake a la Dacquoise
Submitted by pussycat
Elegant French layer cake with genoise, fresh strawberries, buttercream, and crème fraîche whipped cream. This show-stopping dacquoise is soaked with Framboise liqueur.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
90 minCOOK
0 minREADY
90 minThis masterpiece from chef Ann Kathleen McKay transforms delicate genoise layers into an unforgettable celebration cake worthy of the finest patisserie.
Each layer gets kissed with Framboise liqueur before being spread with silky buttercream and clouds of crème fraîche-enriched whipped cream studded with fresh strawberries.
Garnished with tiny wild strawberries (fraise des bois) and strawberry flowers, it’s as beautiful as it is luxurious.
Plan ahead: this cake needs 2 to 4 hours of refrigeration before serving.
Chef Tips
- Make components ahead: Genoise and buttercream can be prepared a day in advance
- Slice berries uniformly: This ensures even distribution and a prettier presentation when sliced
- Chill before cutting: The layers set properly after refrigeration, making clean slices possible
- Use quality liqueur: Good Framboise makes a noticeable difference in flavor
- Pipe decoratively: A star tip creates an elegant border that frames the fresh berry garnish
Ingredients
Directions
** Recipes for this ingredient are elsewhere in this database.
Cut one of the two 9-inch genoise in two. These ‘half-layers’ will be the top two layers of the cake. The whole genoise will be the bottom. Sprinkle each of the three genoise layers lightly with 2 tablespoons of Framboise.
Flavor 2 cups of buttercream with 1 tablespoon of Framboise.
Whip the creme fraiche and heavy cream together to form stiff peaks. Add ¼ cup of creme anglaise and 1 tablespoon Framboise and continue whipping until stiff peaks form again.
If the strawberries are small, slice them in half lengthwise. If they are larger, slice them crosswise into ½-inch slices.
Spread the full thick layer of genoise (which will be the bottom of the cake) with one-third of the buttercream. Arrange sliced berries around the perimeter of the cake, with the cut side out. Continue to cover the bottom of the cake with half of the berries and spread with half of the whipped cream-creme anglaise mixture.
Repeat the same process for the second layer of genoise then place the final layer on top and spread with a thin layer of buttercream. Smooth nicely.
With a small star tip on a pastry pipe, make an attractive border around the top of the cake with the remaining buttercream. (You can add food coloring to the buttercream at this point if desired.)
Arrange the fraise des bois (wild strawberries with their stems) along the perimeter of the cake then garnish with strawberry leaves and flowers.
Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before serving.
Preparation time: 1½ hours
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