Fraisier cake, the french way to heaven

Ingredients

Crème mousseline :

• 2 cups milk (42 cl)
• 1 vanilla pod
• 4 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar (125 gr)
• 1/2 cup corn starch (60 gr)
• 3/4 cup butter (190 gr)

Sponge cake :

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour (60 gr)
• 1/3 cup sugar (60 gr)

Syrup :

• 1/3 cup sugar (60 gr)
• 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
• 1 lb strawberries
• 5 ounces strawberry jam

Materials

• 8 inches springform pan
• 7 inches cake tin
• acetate plastic strip
• Electric whisk
• Piping bag

Preparation

• The crème mousseline :
  Put 1/2 cup of butter out of the fridge.
  Put the milk to boil with the sliced vanilla pod and its seeds. Meanwhile, put the yolks in a bowl with the sugar. Beat it energetically, until the mix gets creamy. Add the corn starch and mix well.
• Once the milk has boiled, add it gradually to the previous mix. Then put everything back in the pot, and put it back on a medium heat.
  
• Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the cream thickens, as it is wanted. This lasts around 10 minutes.Take out of the heat, and add 1/4 cup of butter. Put some plastic foil directly against the cream, and leave to cool down.
• The sponge cake :
  Using the electric whisk, beat the eggs and the sugar for 5 minutes. The mix should swell twice its size.
  
• Sift the flour on the eggs, and gently stir to combine. Put in the greased cake tin, and bake 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Leave to cool down.
• The syrup :
  Pour the water and the sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Take out of the heat and leave to cool down.
  
• Assembly :
  Put the strip of plastic inside of the springform pan (or plastic foil). Slice the sponge cake in half horizontally.
• Place the top of the cake upside down in the pan. Brush with half the syrup.
  
• Clean the strawberries and cut the 2/3 in half. Place them all around the cake, cut outside.
• Meanwhile, your cream must have cool down (it should be too cold). Whisk to make it loose, then gradually add the softened butter while beating at medium speed. Once you have combined all the butter, whisk 2 minutes at full speed : the whisk should leave marks in the cream.
  
• Apply some cream between the strawberries, then a layer on the cake, and cover the strawberries with cream. Cut what is left of strawberries in little dice, and put them on the cream.
• Brush the second circle of cake with syrup, and put it upside down on the cream. Apply some pressure so the cream comes up on the sides. Cover with cream and smooth the top. Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
  
• Decor :
  Heat the jam in the microwave oven for 30 seconds. Sift it to take the pieces out, then pour the smooth sauce you got on the fraisier. Lean it on each side to spread it. Put in the fridge for 1 hour.
• Gently unmould the fraisier. If the circle won't come out, heat it a little bit with a hair dryer. Cut a strawberry in slices, and put it on the cake to decorate. If you have some cream left, use a piping bag to decorate with it.
  
• There you are, your fraisier cake is ready !