Fraise Provençal – A Sophisticated Strawberry Dessert with Provencal Herbs and Balsamic Accents

A gourmet strawberry dessert combining balsamic confit, chocolate cream, mousse, and Provencal herbs on a sablé base – perfect for refined palates.

The Fraise Provençal is not your ordinary strawberry dessert. Created by Chef Koji Ueshimo of Avranches Guesnay, this complex yet harmonious entremet balances fruity brightness, herby depth, and silky textures. It features a crisp sablé base, strawberry-balsamic confit, salted chocolate cream, delicate strawberry mousse, and a glaze infused with Provencal herbs. Finished with a touch of fleur de sel, coconut, and aromatic oil, this dessert is a celebration of contrast and refinement. Ideal for high-end patisseries or anyone seeking to impress with a truly elegant creation.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword cake, individual desserts, pastry, recipes

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 25

2 15

Total Time 2 10

Servings Mini Cakes

Ingredients

Sablé (Shortcrust Base)

Unsalted butter: 200g
Granulated sugar: 200g
Egg yolk: 1
Heavy cream 35%: 20g
Dark rum: 10g
A – dry mix:
Almond flour: 200g
Cake flour: 198g
Cinnamon powder: 1g
Anise powder: 0.5g
Clove powder: 0.5g

Strawberry-Balsamic Confiture

A:

Fresh strawberries: 200g
Frozen whole strawberries: 100g
Granulated sugar: 200g

B:

Granulated sugar: 50g
Pectin NH: 3g

Salted Chocolate Cream (for 15 portions)

Milk: 166.9g
Frozen egg yolks: 84.5g
Granulated sugar: 3.5g
Dark chocolate Valrhona Equatoriale: 100g
Heavy cream 42%: 125g

Strawberry Mousse (for 16 portions)

Strawberry purée: 114.4g
Wild strawberry purée: 61.6g
Heavy cream 35%: 162.8g
Italian meringue: 92.4g
Silver gelatin sheets: 6.6g
Raspberry eau-de-vie Framboise: 15.4g

Italian Meringue Base:

Granulated sugar: 200g
Water: 50g
Frozen egg whites: 100g

Coating

White chocolate: 120g
Cocoa butter: 12g
Clarified butter: 48g

Strawberry Herb Glaze

Water: 450g
Strawberry purée: 78g
Glucose syrup: 116g
Halodex: 100g
Granulated sugar: 168g
Pectin: 16g
Provence herb mix: 1.3g

Sauce

Strawberry purée: 10g
Neutral nappage: 10g
Aromatic Oil
Olive oil: 50g
Provence herb mix: 1.5g

Assembly

Balsamic vinegar: as needed
Fleur de sel: as needed
Finely shredded coconut: as needed

Instructions

Sablé Base

Soften the butter in a bowl. Add granulated sugar and mix with a whisk.
Incorporate the egg yolk, then the rum, then the cream.
Combine dry ingredients (A) and fold into the butter mixture until smooth.
Roll to 5.5mm thickness. Cut out 6cm discs and place on a Silpat-lined tray. Fit a 6.5cm tart ring over each.
Bake at 180°C for approx. 20 minutes.

Strawberry-Balsamic Confit

Mix ingredients (A) and let macerate overnight. Cook in a saucepan.
Mix (B) together and add to the pot while stirring. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Chill.

Salted Chocolate Cream

Heat milk. Whisk yolks with sugar separately. Temper yolk mixture with a bit of hot milk.
Return all to the pot and cook while stirring to 83°C.
Pour onto chocolate and emulsify with a hand blender.
Add cream and mix well.
Pipe halfway into 6.5cm × 1.5cm rings lined with plastic. Freeze.

Strawberry Mousse

Prepare Italian meringue.
Melt gelatin in microwave. Combine with purées at 28°C.
Whip cream to medium peaks. Fold in meringue and purée mixture gradually.
Pipe into 6.5cm × 2cm savarin molds. Freeze.

Coating

Melt and blend all ingredients together for later use.
Strawberry Herb Glaze
Warm water, purée, glucose, and Halodex.
Combine sugar and pectin, add to the pot, and bring to a boil while stirring.
Blend, strain, and reserve 300g. Add Provence herbs and use at 35–40°C.

Sauce

Mix strawberry purée and neutral nappage until smooth.
Aromatic Oil
Mix oil with herbs. Let infuse at room temp, then strain.

Notes

🧩 Assembly

Dip baked sablés in coating, place on rack to set.
Pipe confiture on each and add a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
Place frozen chocolate cream insert on top, press gently, and add a few grains of fleur de sel.
Add mousse dome on top. Glaze with warm strawberry herb glaze.
Once set, trim base and roll in shredded coconut.
Fill the center cavity with sauce and insert a pipette of herb oil for serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g