Iced Matcha Mousse Fraisier – Recipe

I did another matcha thing. #SorryNotSorry.

This one's part matcha mousse cake, part fraisier cake, part ice cream cake. The frozen mousse is allowed to thaw a little, creating a parfait-like texture when it's ready to serve. Originally it was just going to be a regular mousse cake, but since the weather's been heating up, I fancied something iced.

Ready? Let's go.



Ingredients for Genoise Sponge:

2 eggs
70g caster sugar
50g self-raising flour
30g cornflour
10g salted butter, melted

Ingredients for Matcha Mousse:

5g gelatin, soaked in 1tbsp water
1 tbsp matcha powder dissolved in 3tbsp hot water
50ml milk
2 pasteurised egg whites
150ml double cream
35g caster sugar

For the Fruity Element:

500g small to medium-sized strawberries

Ingredients for Matcha Glaze:

1tsp gelatin, soaked in 1 tbsp water
2 tsp matcha, dissolved in 70ml water
1 tbsp glucose syrup
50g white chocolate melted in 70ml hot milk

Method:

1. Make the genoise first. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line an 8" round baking tin with baking parchment.

2. Whisk the eggs with the sugar for five to ten minutes until thick and foamy, sift in the flours and gently fold in. Fold in the melted butter until just combined, pour into your prepared tin and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when you poke it. Leave to cool upside-down in the tin on a wire rack to help keep the cake's volume.

3. When the cake is cool, trim the top to level it off (I use a bread knife), and trim it to snugly fit the inside of a 7" springform tin. Line your 7" tin with baking parchment and pack the sponge disc into the bottom.

4. To make the mousse, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff white peaks, as if you were making meringues, and thoroughly whisk in the caster sugar.

5. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.

6. Mix the matcha paste you've made with the water with the milk, and strain into a pan to get rid of any small lumps.

7. Gently heat the green tea mixture over a medium heat until barely simmering, and turn the heat down to low.

8. Add the soaked gelatin and stir until completely dissolved, and then leave to cool to room temperature.

9. With a balloon whisk, whisk the cooled green tea mixture into the egg whites, and then fold in the cream until just combined.

10. Cut the tops off of a few strawberries to create a flat surface, halve them and place them cut side facing outwards inside the tin. Slice up some more strawberries and place on top of the sponge.

11. Pour in your matcha mousse, tap on the counter a few times to get rid of large air bubbles, and freeze for at least 4 hours.

12. To make the glaze, heat the matcha water and glucose in a small pan until simmering, take off the heat and dissolve your soaked gelatin in it. Stir into your white chocolate mixture, leave to cool until room temperature, and pour over the top of your frozen cake. Pop in the freezer for another hour.

13. When you're ready to serve, unmould the cake and let it thaw for about 10 minutes before slicing (it's easier to slice this cake while it's still a bit on the firm side). Let the slices thaw for another 10 minutes or so to soften up more before serving.

Enjoy, and have fun!