Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 120 ml Quebec maple syrup
- 120 g flour
- 30 g melted butter
- 500 ml milk
- 5 yolks
- 40 g cornstarch
- 150 ml Quebec maple syrup (cream)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 250 g soft butter
- 500 g strawberries
- 60 ml Quebec maple syrup (soak)
- 40 ml kirsch
- 150 g marzipan
Method
- Whip eggs with 120 ml syrup until ribbon; fold flour and butter; bake sheet 12 min at 175 °C.
- Cook milk, vanilla, yolks, cornstarch, 150 ml syrup to pastry cream; cool, beat in butter for mousseline.
- Cut two sponge discs; soak with kirsch and 60 ml syrup.
- Line ring with halved strawberries, add sponge, mousseline with whole berries, top sponge, mousseline.
- Chill 4 h, cap with rolled marzipan.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 120 g sponge + 150 g cream + 50 g soak sugar
Conversion used: Sponge sugar → 120 ml syrup; cream sugar → 150 ml syrup (cut milk by 40 ml); soak syrup → 60 ml maple + kirsch; oven 175 °C from 190 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple's floral caramel amplifies ripe strawberries, contributes riboflavin, and supports Quebec sugarbush economies year-round.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →