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Strawberry and watermelon cake

Strawberry and watermelon cake

“Every weekday morning I pop into Newtown’s Black Star Pastry for a take-away coffee, but their pretty pink strawberry and watermelon cake often entices me to pick up a fork and order in. Would you please request the recipe from pastry chef Christopher Thé?”
Sara Watson, Sydney, NSW

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To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Strawberry and watermelon cake

Serves 8
Cooking Time Prep time 45 mins, cook 15 mins (plus cooling, macerating, chilling)
250 gm   seedless watermelon, thinly sliced
60 ml (¼ cup)   rosewater
4 tbsp   caster sugar
40 gm   almond meal
500 gm   strawberries (about 2 punnets), halved
10   seedless red grapes, halved
1 tbsp   slivered pistachios (see note)
1 tbsp   dried rose petals (see note)
Almond dacquoise
150 gm   almonds, coarsely chopped
150 gm   pure icing sugar, sieved
5   eggwhites
135 gm   caster sugar
Rose-scented cream
300 ml   thickened cream
30 gm   caster sugar
2 tbsp   rosewater


1 For almond dacquoise, preheat oven to 200C. Process almonds in a food processor until finely ground, then combine in a bowl with icing sugar. Whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form (3-4 minutes), then gradually add caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form (1-2 minutes). Gently fold through almond mixture, spread on a 30cm x 40cm oven tray lined with baking paper and bake until golden (10-15 minutes). Set aside to cool on tray, then cut in half lengthways.
2 Arrange watermelon slices in a single layer on a wire rack. Sprinkle with 20ml rosewater, then scatter with 2 tbsp sugar. Stand to macerate (30 minutes), then pat dry with absorbent paper.
3 Meanwhile, for rose-scented cream, whisk cream and sugar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add rosewater and whisk until stiff peaks form (do not over-whisk).
4 Spread one-third of rose cream evenly over one half of dacquoise, scatter with half the almond meal, then top with watermelon, trimming to fill any gaps. Scatter over remaining almond meal, spread over half remaining cream. Top with remaining dacquoise, spread over remaining cream and refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours).
5 Combine strawberries, remaining rosewater and remaining sugar in a bowl, toss to combine and set aside to macerate (15 minutes). Carefully arrange on top of cake, gently pushing into cream. Trim edges of cake, scatter over grapes, pistachios and petals, and serve.

Note Slivered pistachios and dried rose petals are available from David Jones food halls, select delicatessens and Pariya Food.

This recipe is from the December 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

RECIPE Christopher The, Black Star Pastry, Sydney PHOTOGRAPHY Dieu Tan STYLING Geraldine Munoz


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