Strawberry Shortcake

Warm 4 eggs and 90 g sugar over a water bath to 40°C, stirring so the eggs do not cook.

Remove the bowl and whip until thick ribbons fall from the beater and hold for 2 to 3 seconds.

Sift in 90 g cake flour and fold from the bottom with a spatula, stopping when no dry streaks remain.

Pour 30 ml milk and 20 g melted unsalted butter around the edge of the bowl and fold without pressing the air from the batter.

Pour the batter into an 18 cm round pan and level the surface without pressing out the air.

Bake at 170°C for 28 to 30 minutes, until the top springs back lightly when touched.

Remove the sponge from the pan, cool it completely, and slice it horizontally into 3 even layers.

Keep the layers level so the cake does not lean when filled with cream and strawberries.

Whip 400 ml heavy cream with 35 g sugar for the cream until it reaches about 80 percent stiffness.

Stop when lines are visible but the peaks still bend softly, because overwhipping will make the cream grainy.

Reserve some of the 300 g strawberries for decorating the top and slice the rest.

Spread cream over 2 sponge layers, arrange the sliced strawberries evenly, and stack all 3 layers. Coat the outside with the remaining cream, add the reserved berries, and chill until the layers have settled.