This original recipe is generously brought to you by Christopher Thé, Founder of Black Star Pastry, Creator of the Strawberry Watermelon Cake and good friend of VIVE.
This video will help you visualize the steps in making this iconic cake!
Share the love: Hashtag #vivecookingschool so we can marvel over your very own version of the Strawberry Watermelon cake with this recipe.
INGREDIENTS FOR DACQUOISE*
160g Pure Icing Sugar
160g Natural Almond Meal
140g Caster Sugar
6 Fresh Egg Whites
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 rosewater and caster sugar.
Let macerate for 15 min before patting well with the kitchen paper.
INGREDIENTS FOR ROSE SCENTED CREAM
1 Litre thick cream
100g caster sugar
2 tsp powdered gelatin
2 tbs water
2 tbs Rose water
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.
INGREDIENTS FOR GLAZING
500g commercial neutral glaze
200g water
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.
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE DECOR
2 punnets of strawberries
100g of red grapes
1 tbs of rose water
10g of dry rose petals
1 tbs slivered pistachios
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 tbs 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.
