Strawberry Watermelon Cake by Black Star Pastry

Watch the video

Method for Dacquoise

• Preheat oven to 180C.
• Using your collar trace 4 circles on silicon paper, spray tray with oil and attach paper.
• Mix well in a bowl the pure icing sugar and the natural almond meal.
  This is called the “Tant Pour Tant”.
  Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
• Add a pinch of salt to the whites and whisk in a mixer, slowly at first, then on high speed.
  Stop when the meringue is at soft peak.
  Gradually add the caster sugar and mix until firm peaks.
• Fold the tant pour tant into the meringue and load into piping bag.
  Pipe circles 1 cm high.
• Bake until done, but still moist and chewy.

Watermelon Layers

• Prepare your watermelon by slicing a 12mm disc.**
• Douse with rose water and caster sugar.
• Let macerate for 15 minutes before patting well with the kitchen paper.

Method for Rose Scented Cream

• Mix gelatine with water in a heat proof bowl and stir well. Allow to bloom.
  Mix cream with sugar and whip until firm peaks, stop before the cream goes grainy.
• Gently heat bloomed gelatine until melted, but not too hot. Add rose water and stir.
• Turn mixer onto high speed and incorporate gelatine mix for 15 seconds.
  Load into piping bag.

Method for Glazing

• Mix 500g commercial neutral glaze with 200g water.***
• Use at 50C.
  Glaze temp we are using is 50 degrees. In hot weather you may have to go lower.
• Have cold glaze ready too. Mix into hot glaze to achieve right temperature.
• Use a wide pastry brush for glaze.

Method for Cake Decor

• Cut strawberries in quarter and place in a bowl.
• Cut grapes in quarter and place in a separate bowl.
• Add half a tbsp of rose water in each strawberries and grapes bowls, and mix well.
• Have the dry rose petals and the slivered pistachio ready.

BUILDING UP THE CAKE****

• Start with the Dacquoise layer.
• Using a piping bag, create a layer of rose scented cream.
• Add the watermelon slice.
• Create another layer of rose scented cream.
• Place another layer of dacquoise on top of the cream.
• Create a layer of rose scented cream (thinner this time).
• Put the cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
• Add strawberries and grapes on top of the last layer of cream.
• Brush the glaze on top of the fruits
  Sprinkle the dry rose petals and slivered pistachios.

Et Voila!

Cooking Tips:

*What is a Dacquoise? It’s an almond and hazelnut meringue.
**Check out the video above, this should help you understand how to cut the watermelon.
***Contact us if you’re unable to source commercial neutral glaze.
****Use a round cake frame, ensuring it fits the size of the dacquoise and the watermelon slice.