Sunday, April 19, 2026
Matcha and Strawberry Petits Gâteaux
Tender sponge and bright berries wrapped in the quiet bitterness of spring tea.

90 min prep14 min bakeServes 8
Ingredients
- Eggs4 large
- Caster sugar120g
- Cake flour100g
- Ceremonial-grade matcha powder12g
- Unsalted butter, melted40g
- Whole milk30g
- Fresh strawberries, hulled300g
- Caster sugar (for compote)40g
- Lemon juice10g
- Heavy cream (35% fat)400g
- White chocolate, chopped160g
- Matcha powder (for ganache)8g
- Gelatin sheets6g
- Whole milk (for ganache)80g
- Heavy cream (for mirror glaze)100g
- White chocolate (for glaze)120g
- Matcha powder (for glaze)6g
- Glucose syrup30g
- Gelatin sheets (for glaze)4g
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder10g
- Neutral oil15g
Method
- 1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Whisk eggs and sugar over a bain-marie until warm (40°C), then whip until pale, thick, and tripled in volume.
- 2.Sift cake flour and 12g matcha together. Fold gently into the egg mixture in three additions.
- 3.Combine melted butter and milk, fold into the batter quickly. Pour into a lined 30×40cm sheet pan.
- 4.Bake 12–14 min until just set. Cool completely, then cut rounds using a 6cm cutter.
- 5.Cook strawberries, 40g sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat until jammy (about 8 min). Blend briefly for a chunky compote. Cool.
- 6.Bloom 6g gelatin in cold water. Heat 80g milk until steaming, dissolve gelatin in it. Pour over 160g white chocolate and 8g matcha; blend until smooth. Cool to 30°C.
- 7.Whip 400g cream to soft peaks. Fold one-third into the matcha ganache to lighten, then fold in the rest. This is your mousse.
- 8.Place a sponge round in the base of each 7cm ring mold. Pipe a thin layer of mousse, add a teaspoon of strawberry compote in the center, then fill to the top with mousse. Freeze 4 hours minimum.
- 9.For the glaze: bloom 4g gelatin. Heat 100g cream and 30g glucose to a simmer. Add gelatin, pour over 120g white chocolate and 6g matcha. Add neutral oil; blend until glossy. Cool to 32°C.
- 10.Unmold frozen cakes onto a wire rack. Pour glaze over each in one smooth pass. Dot with freeze-dried strawberry powder immediately.
- 11.Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Finish with a halved fresh strawberry on top.