This vanilla-strawberry children’s Number Cake is obviously adaptable for adults, but remember to multiply your quantities by 2 to make 2 figures ( or others depending on the characters! I saw a superb MUM go by, I imagine that the quantities had been multiplied by 3, huh…). You can also decline it in lots of different flavors so we cover everything from chocolate to vanilla and your favorite fruits! Watch the video made in my kitchen for Elle.fr , you’ll see, it’s very quick and easy! So to your Number Cakes; child or adult, they will necessarily make people happy.
Prepare the shortcrust pastry:
Cut the butter into small pieces then let it come to room temperature (if necessary, put them in the microwave for a few seconds at 500W, but be careful, it must not melt). Put the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds, salt and butter in the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix with the leaf until the mixture is well sanded. Add the beaten egg and mix again until the dough begins to form a ball.
Divide the dough in 2. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to 3mm thick. Cut out the number of your choice with a thin knife by laying a paper template (A4 size) on it. Prick your 2 figures in dough with a fork. Leave the 2 sheets of dough to set for 1 hour in the fridge.
Bake on 2 baking sheets for 12 minutes at 180°.
Prepare the diplomat cream:
Soak the gelatin in a container filled with cold water. In a saucepan, bring the milk, cream, split and scraped vanilla pod and half the sugar to a boil. In a second saucepan off the heat, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, then add the cornstarch and beat again to obtain a homogeneous texture. Drizzle the hot milk over the egg mixture. Whisk then thicken over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Off the heat, add the drained gelatin and mix until it is well dissolved. Then pour into a dish covered with cling film and fold the film over the cream. Let cool to room temperature, then cool in the refrigerator (at least 1 hour).
When the pastry cream has cooled well, loosen it in a bowl with a spatula. Whip the full liquid cream into a firm whipped cream. First stir in ⅓ of the whipped cream into the pastry cream with a whisk to soften it. Then incorporate the rest delicately with a spatula.
Dress your child number cake:
Rinse strawberries. Reserve 3-4 whole strawberries for decoration. Peel the rest and cut them into small cubes. Arrange the other decorations (candies, sprinkles) within easy reach.
Place a first sandblasted number on a serving platter and fix it with a dab of diplomate cream to prevent it from slipping. Pipe heaps of diplomat cream evenly over the surface of the figure. Then add the strawberry pieces in the middle. Gently place the 2nd number on top. Pipe diplomate cream again over the entire surface of the number. Decorate items of your choice. Finish by sprinkling with sprinkles.
The Strawberry Vanilla Number Cake can be kept cool and should be eaten quickly. To organize yourself and save time, prepare the pastry cream and shortbread figures the day before and prepare the rest on the day of the tasting.