Here’s my attempt to recreate Christopher Thé’s of Black Star Pastry’s beautiful Strawberry and Watermelon cake. Layers of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream, watermelon, and topped with some strawberries, pistachio and dried rose petals. Such a stunning cake, perfect for all occasions.
Strawberry and Watermelon Cake
Channel the vibrant flavors of summer with this stunning Strawberry Watermelon Cake, inspired by the iconic creation of Black Star Pastry. Layers of delicate almond dacquoise embrace juicy watermelon slices and a fragrant rose-scented cream. Topped with fresh strawberries, pistachios, and a touch of elegance, this cake is a feast for the eyes and the palate.
Ingredients
Almond Dacquoise:
- 4 egg whites
- 120 g icing sugar
- 120 g ground almond
- 100 g sugar
Watermelon:
- Slices of about 1.2 cm thick
- Rosewater
- Sugar
Rose-scented cream:
- 600 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 60 g sugar
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 1 tsp 5g gelatine
- 1 tbsp water
Toppings:
- 400 g strawberries
- 1 tbsp slivered pistachios
- 1 tbsp dried rose petals
Glaze:
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
Prepare Dacquoise
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Beat egg whites until foamy, gradually adding sugar until firm peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, mix ground almonds and icing sugar, then fold into the beaten egg whites until the mixture has a lava-like consistency.
- Spread the mixture on a lined baking tray or pipe the desired shape using a piping bag and nozzle and bake for 15 minutes.
Prepare Watermelon
- Slice watermelon into 1.2 cm thick pieces to fit your mould.
- Soak both sides with rose water and sugar, letting them macerate for at least 15 minutes then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Make Rose-Scented Cream
- Mix gelatine with water and let bloom for a few minutes.
- Whip cream with sugar until firm peaks form.
- Heat the bloomed gelatine in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir in rose water, and gently fold into the whipped cream then transfer to a piping bag.
Assemble the Cake
- Assemble the cake using in the following order: start with a layer of dacquoise. Pipe a layer of rose-scented cream, add a watermelon slice, then pipe another layer of cream. Top with another layer of dacquoise, spread a thin layer of cream on top
- Garnish the top with chopped strawberries, glaze, dry rose petals, and slivered pistachios
- Refrigerate and let set for at least 3 hours before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
If you’ve made this recipe, remember to tag @mai.ng on Instagram www.maicookbook.com
26 comments
Hi Mai, can the almond dacquoise be made a day before and store in in an airtight container?
Yes! I’d keep it somewhere dry, room temperature.
Thank you Mai!! 👍
Hi Mai, one more question. Is it possible to reduce both type of sugar? If yes, hoe much to reduce? Will it affect the texture of the Dacquoise?
Cheers,
Hi Christine, I wouldn’t because it would change the consistency of the meringue. It’s not going to be too sweet don’t worry 🤞🏻
🙏
Hi Mai, May i know what brand of rose water you use?
I just used one from the brand KTC I found at the supermarket
Hi Mai, can the dacquoise be made 5 days in advance?
Hi there sorry for the really late reply, possible but you’ll need to keep it in somewhere dry so it doesn’t absorb moisture!
Hi Mai ,
For the almond dacquoise , it’s made in one baking tray right , for the layers do we have to cut it up ? So one piece for the bottom layer then another piece for the other layer , it’s not made in 2 different baking trays?
I made using 1 baking tray – from the video as you can see I just piped the dacquoise, alternatively you can make a big tray and cut it out as well.
Thank you Mai! Also can the cake be made without the mould? Would it hold its shape
Technically yes? But it’ll be messy to assemble and wouldn’t look great. Just use a round springform pan if you can’t find a square mould.
Also Mai ,
For the watermelon how much rose water and sugar is added onto them
Hey there, ah sorry I think I just eyeballed that part… get enough sugar to cover all the surface of the watermelon, I’d say about 4 tablespoons and I used about 4 tablespoons of rose water as well. Hope that helps!
Hi can I use almond meal for the ground almond? Are they the same?
I believe it’s the same – basically finely grounded almond
Hi Mai, I’m looking to make one serving portion of this cake instead of the entire cake. Just wanted to ask about conversions, how much of each ingredient would you recommend I use instead?
This was so delicious! My watermelon had went bad sadly, so I ended up making a layer of cut strawberries in the middle instead. Everything else I followed your instructions exactly. My friends loved it so much they went back for seconds. And on top of taste it looks absolutely beautiful 😍
So happy to hear 😍
Hi Mai,
My dacquoise keep’s completely deflating once I take it out of the iven. Any tips? Thanks so much!
That’s odd, the dacquoise is usually quite dry and cooks almost like a meringue in the oven – perhaps it’s not cooked long enough, try adjusting the settings of your oven or leave it for a bit longer. When it’s dry enough it shouldn’t deflate.
Could I assemble this cake the night before? Will it still be OK in the morning? Or will everything be soggy
It should be fine the next day!
I made this cake the other day but found when cutting, the cream would smudge and not be stable enough to cut a perfect piece, is there anything I can do to make it more stable? I tried gelatine but still to no avail