Fraisier with Roasted Strawberries and Pistachio Sponge

You can prepare all three components a day before. You may also stop after assembling and continue the day after. For the roasted strawberries wash, hull and slice the strawberries and mix with the sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 150 degrees Celsius on medium rack for about 25 minutes. Transfer to a jar or tall glass including the liquid. Chill until further use.

For the pistachio sponge line the bottom of two 18cm springforms with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grind the pistachios, melt the butter. Divide the eggs into yolks and whites into two bowls. Add 60 grams of sugar to the yolks, set aside the other 60 grams of sugar. Sieve the flour on top of the egg-yolk mixture, add vanilla extract and ground pistachios, whisk until combined, then add the melted butter and make sure it is fully incorporated. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, once foamy, slowly add the sugar and beat on high until glossy and stiff. Incoporate into the egg yolks in three steps. Try to lose as little air as possible. Divide evenly between the two springforms and bake on medium rack for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool. If continuing the next day, wrap tightly.

For the vanilla cream boil the milk in a pot. Whisk together eggs, flour, cornstarch, and sugar in a bowl. Bloom the gelatine separately in a small bowl in cold water. Once the milk boils, add two tablespoons of milk to the egg mix, stir. Add another two tablespoons, then pour the egg mix to the remaining milk and bring to medium heat. Stir and wait for the mixture to thicken. Stir in wrung out gelatine leaves and vanilla extract. Cover surface directly with cling wrap and set aside. Once it has room temperature, beat the cream until stiff. Then fold into the custard. Set aside about three heaping tablespoons of the cream, I transferred them to a piping bag with a star tip.

Now we are going to assemble the cake. Brush the first cake layer with a bit of the liquid from the roasted strawberries. Wrap a cake collar (or cling wrap like I did) around the cake layer, then fasten cake and cake collar inside the springform. Look for about 8-9 strawberries of the same size, cut off green part, then place the strawberries with the cut side facing down and outwards all around the edges touching the cake collar. Spread about 2/3 of the cream, then almost all the roasted strawberries, save a few for the top. Finish off with the remaining cream. Place the second cake layer upside down so that you have an even cake. Brush this cake layer again with some of the liquid from the roasted strawberries. You can chill the cake airtight overnight or continue with below.

Pipe the remaining cream you saved on the top, you can also just spread it evenly. Place the remaining roasted strawberries on top and some chopped pistachios. I also used some more fresh strawberries as decoration. I recommend only decorating the strawberries shortly before serving.