Erdbeer | Dulcey | “Spring” Torte
Everyone can feel it, everyone can see it—the spring has truly arrived and is here to stay for many days. It’s wonderful to sit outside in the sunshine again, to watch nature awaken, or to tackle the first tasks in the garden. You know gardening is my yoga ☺. Our now two-year-old companion nearly succeeded in spoiling my joy at spring’s return. In the past weeks, he’s sent too many people into quarantine and caused a fair bit more work. He was a thief of time, but becoming a spoil-sport—that he did not manage ☺. I hope you won’t let him! I’ve lost count of how many days—and even weeks—we’ve already been rewarded with beautiful spring weather and bright sunshine. Today—on the first day of daylight saving time—I’m sitting comfortably on the terrace, writing this recipe for you. The sun is slowly sinking toward the horizon, yet it’s still pleasantly warm. On the garden table sits a small bowl of the remaining strawberries ☺. Although the queen of fruits isn’t truly in season yet—it will be a little while before they ripen and can be picked—I’d read somewhere about pairing strawberries with Dulcey chocolate and simply had to try it. The color of the strawberry mousse is a bit “shocking”—don’t ask me why. But I can assure you, even if it looks quite “pinky,” it tastes incredibly delicious. For the cake base, I opted for a classic financier. It’s perfect for using up leftover egg whites without the need to make macarons. Financiers are little cakes from French pâtisserie, flavor-wise reminiscent of a moist pound cake. Legend has it that Parisian patissiers invented these bite-sized cakes for busy bankers, since they can be eaten with one hand and provide plenty of power for the day. Moreover, their distinctive shape resembles a gold bar—hence the name of this delicate pastry.
Ingredients
Strawberry Fruit Insert
- 250 g strawberry purée store-bought or homemade
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Sugar to taste
- 2½ sheets gelatin
Strawberry Mousse
- 1 sheet gelatin
- 42 g cream I
- 34 g strawberry purée
- 34 g white couverture
- 2 g cocoa butter
- 2 g acacia honey
- 2 g glucose syrup
- 80 g cream II
Almond Financier
- 120 g butter
- 128 g milk couverture
- 80 g sugar
- 56 g flour
- 64 g peeled grated almonds
- 120 g egg whites
Crunchy Layer
- 60 g milk chocolate
- 60 g almond butter
- 60 g feuilletine or cornflakes/muesli
- 10 g frozen raspberries
Mirror Glaze
- 120 g glucose syrup
- 120 g sugar
- 60 g water I
- 8 g powdered gelatin
- 48 g water II
- 120 g white couverture chopped or callets
- 80 g sweetened condensed milk
- Red gel food coloring
Dulcey Mousse
- 147 g whole milk
- Pinch ground vanilla
- 3 egg yolks
- 20 g sugar
- 185 g Dulcey couverture or Callebaut Gold
- 3 sheets gelatin
- 250 g whipping cream
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Fruit Insert
- Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water until softened.
- Heat the strawberry purée with sugar and lemon juice.
- Remove from heat, stir in the gelatin until fully dissolved.
- Pour into half-sphere molds (use both sizes) and freeze until solid.
Prepare the Strawberry Mousse
- Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water.
- In a small saucepan, combine cream (I), strawberry purée, honey, and glucose syrup. Warm gently.
- Melt the white couverture and cocoa butter together (microwave or bain-marie).
- Remove the fruit-cream mixture from heat, stir in the gelatin, then pour over the melted chocolate. Let rest briefly, then stir until smooth.
- Cool to roughly 30 – 35 °C, then gently fold in the whipped cream (II).
- Fill the larger half-sphere mold with mousse. Unmold one strawberry fruit insert, place it in the center, cover with more mousse, smooth the surface, and refreeze.
Bake the Almond Financier
- Preheat oven to 160 °C (fan).
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, heating until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma. Strain and cool slightly.
- Melt the milk couverture (microwave or bain-marie).
- In a bowl, mix two-thirds of the sugar with the flour and ground almonds.
- Whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar to stiff peaks. Fold into the dry ingredients.
- Stir in the melted chocolate, then the browned butter, until the batter is smooth.
- Pour into an 18 cm Ø springform pan and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Cool, then freeze for about 1 hour—this will make it easier to slice neatly.
Assemble the Crunchy Layer
- Melt the milk chocolate, then stir in the almond butter.
- Fold in the feuilletine and frozen raspberries.
- Line an 18 cm Ø springform pan with parchment, spread the mixture evenly.
- Before it sets completely, press a round slice of financier (cut to fit) onto it, fruit-purée side down. Freeze until firm.
Prepare the Mirror Glaze
- Soak the gelatin in water (II).
- In a saucepan, bring glucose syrup, sugar, and water (I) to 103 °C.
- Remove from heat, stir in the condensed milk, then dissolve the gelatin.
- Place the chopped white couverture in a tall bowl; pour the hot mixture over it. Let rest, add coloring, then emulsify with an immersion blender—keep the nozzle submerged to avoid air bubbles.
- Once smooth, cover with cling film directly on the surface and refrigerate overnight (or make the same day).
Make the Dulcey Mousse
- Soak gelatin in cold water.
- Heat milk and vanilla in a saucepan.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale.
- Pour hot milk over yolks, return to saucepan, cook over medium heat—stir constantly—until reaching 83 °C.
- Remove, stir in gelatin, strain over the chopped couverture if needed, then mix until smooth.
- Cool to about 35 °C, stirring to prevent setting at the sides; fold in whipped cream.
Final Assembly
- Remove the crunchy-financier layer from the freezer; let soften slightly and trim to match the diameter of the strawberry sphere.
- Fill the strawberry half-sphere mold up to ~4 cm below the rim with Dulcey mousse. Unmold the strawberry sphere, press it into the mousse (it may sink on its own), then cover with more Dulcey mousse.
- Close with the crunchy-financier layer (fruit layer down, crunchy side up). Once the filling sets slightly, cover with cling film and freeze overnight.
- On serving day, gently warm the mirror glaze to ~45 °C—stir regularly or strain to keep it from overheating. Cover with cling film and cool to ~34 °C.
- Place a flat dish upside-down, set your frozen cake on top, and pour the glaze evenly. Let the glaze set instantly, trim any drips, then transfer to a serving plate. Decorate as desired.
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.