Génoise

1. Whip sugar and eggs to a ribbon consistency (roughly 7-10 minutes)
2. Gently fold in the sifted corn starch.
3. Spread into a 16 cm ring.
4. Bake 25 minutes at 160°C.

Vanilla Diplomat Cream

Start by making the pastry cream:

1. Heat the milk with vanilla and emptied vanilla pod.
2. Turn off power/gas, cover with cling film and let infuse for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk the yolks with sugar, then add the cornflour.
4. Remove cling film from milk and take out vanilla bean.
5. Add part of the hot milk to egg yolk and sugar mix to temper, whisk, then return everything to the pot.
6. Cook until thickened and the mixture releases from the sides of the pot (2-3 minutes after boiling).
7. Remove from heat, add melted gelatine, mix well.
8. Spread on cling film and cool rapidly in fridge.

From pastry cream to diplomat cream:

1. Whip the 150g of cold whipping cream to a soft texture and keep in fridge until used.
2. Take the pastry cream out of the fridge and mix until smooth.
3. Then,  fold the whipped cream into it in 3 additions.
4. Assemble the cake immediately.

Assembly and Finish

1. Cut the génoise into two 14 cm discs, each 1.5 cm thick.
2. Line the inside of a 16 cm ring with a 3cm acetate cake collar.
3. Then, line the ring with halved strawberries.  The cut half points to the outside.
4. Using a piping bag with a 10 mm plain tip, pipe some cream in between the strawberries.
5. Close all gaps between the strawberries with a palette knife.
6. Place one génoise disc at the bottom.
7. On top, pipe a spiral of diplomat cream.
8. Add diced strawberries, cover with more diplomat cream.
9. Add the second génoise disc, then finish with a thin layer of diplomat cream.
10. Refrigerate thoroughly.
11. Whip the 150g of cold whipping cream and sugar to stiff peaks.

The fun part!

1. Pipe any decorations you want on top of your cake.
2. Add the strawberry confit as you please.
3. Decorate with fresh strawberries.