Strawberry shortcake is very popular in Japan. The Japanese style of this British cake is made with sponge cake, not biscuits. A light sponge cake, a smooth whipped cream, syrup and a ton of strawberries for the Japanese version.
I am always fascinated by the care that the Japanese take with food. Food is carefully chosen to match each other, both in texture and flavour. The tastes should not be too strong but should balance each other. The food should be dynamic in the mouth, the flavours should blend together and be highlighted.
The presentation is equally important from a visual point of view. Even in the corner bakery, care is taken with the presentation. If you ever get the chance to go to Japan, go into a Western-style bakery. It’s fascinating, every cake looks like a work of art.
Desserts are not very common in Japanese cuisine, which may explain the craze for our pastries. I remember eating a cheesecake in Shibuya with a very particular taste.
The word “cheese” has been taken literally, my cheesecake turned into a camembert-cheese-cake taste. But don’t panic, this one doesn’t have any cheese but strawberries, syrup and cream.
Japanese strawberry shortcake
Serves 4 – Difficulty: medium
Preparation 40 min – Cooking time 35 min
Sponge cake
- 80 g flour type 45
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 80 g white sugar
- 1 tablespoon of milk
- 20 g butter
Syrup
- 100 ml water
- 50 g white sugar
- 1 tbsp kirsch (optional)
Toping
1 punnet of strawberries 300g
300 ml of liquid cream
30 g sugar
For the sponge cake:
Prepare an 18 cm tin by lining it with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C (gas mark 5-6).
Sift and mix the yeast and flour. Melt the milk and butter in a bain-marie. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them with an electric mixer for 30 seconds at slow speed.
Add half the sugar and beat for another 30 seconds. Add the remaining sugar and continue beating on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
Increase the speed to maximum and beat for 2 minutes. The dough becomes fluffy and smooth. Add the flour, incorporating it gently with a spatula. Be careful not to let the foam fall back.
Gradually add the milk and butter and mix in the same way. Pour the batter into the pan. Drop the pan a few centimetres to release the air. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. When the sponge cake is cooked, turn out immediately and leave to cool on a wire rack. When cool, cut in half.
For the Syrup:
Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and turn off the heat when the sugar is completely melted. Add the Kirsch and allow to cool.
Assembling the cake:
Whip the cream and sugar until stiff. Set aside 8 whole strawberries, cut the rest into slices and halves. Brush the inside of the sponge cake with the syrup. Spread the whipped cream on the lower part and place the cut strawberries on top.
Cover with whipped cream and place the upper part of the sponge cake on top. Brush the upper part with syrup and cover the entire sponge cake with whipped cream. Decorate the surface of the cake with the remaining strawberries. Chill for 1 hour to stabilize the cream.
