Chocolate Covered Strawberry Joconde Entremet

This pretty Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Joconde Entremet for Valentine's Day may look difficult and intimidating to make, but it's easier than you may think. Let me walk you through the process.

I originally shared this recipe in 2011. I've recently updated this post with additional information, including a recipe card complete with nutritional information, but the recipe itself and the photos have remained unchanged.

**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making this joconde entremet with a chocolate covered strawberry design is available at the end of this post. Or you can hit the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.

The ingredient list:

**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned

For the decor paste:

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups, plus 1 ½ tablespoons confectioners sugar
• 7 large egg whites
• 1 ¾ cups cake flour
• Your choice of assorted food color gels (I used red, brown, and green).

For the joconde sponge:

• ¾ cups almond flour
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• ¼ cup cake flour
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted melted butter

For the filling:

• fresh strawberries
• mini chocolate chips
• orange flavored liquor (optional)
• strawberry jam, heated to liquify
• 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix
• milk (for the vanilla pudding)

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

• piping bags or large zip top bags
• mixing bowls
• gel food color
• stand mixer or hand mixer
• spatula
• baking sheet
• parchment paper
• measuring cups and spoons
• clear glass trifle dish
• pastry brush
• whisk
• paring knife
• cutting board

How this chocolate covered strawberry joconde entremet recipe came to be:

Back when I first started my food blog (in early 2009) I belonged to many cooking and baking groups. Being a part of these groups was a way for me to meet new friends and venture into recipes I may not have tried otherwise.

The group in which I shared this recipe for a Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Jaconde Entremet was called "The Daring Bakers," and at the time it made me totally step out of my comfort zone. The following recipe is all about doing just that.

What I wrote about this recipe in 2011:

If you couldn't tell, it was chocolate-covered strawberry theme day at my house on the day I decided to make my Daring Bakers challenge. 

I had been trying to figure out what design I was going to make with my joconde paste for the spongecake walls of my entremet for a long, long time. 

Time was running out and my completed challenge was due in just a few days. 

I was going to use my springform pan but decided against it because it seemed a bit too wide. 

Sadly I am ill-prepared in my kitchen with smaller sizes of springform pans at the moment so the use of the heart-shaped glass bowl seemed like a perfect vessel to showcase the chocolate-covered strawberry design.  So, I went with it.

This recipe is long and seems complicated (why do you think I held off so long in starting it?) but in all actuality, it was fairly simple to make and gave me a great sense of accomplishment when I'd finally completed it. 

I will even tell you that it was fun to make and I learned a lot of new stuff in the process. 

We had all sorts of options as to what to fill our entremets with. Be creative when you make yours 🙂 

After giving it a bit of thought, I decided to fill mine with vanilla pudding (use your favorite recipe),  some sliced fresh strawberries, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and some melted strawberry jelly. 

Oh, I also used some Grand Marnier to brush onto the sides and layers of my sponge. In the great words of Ina Garten "How bad can that be?"

I layered and brushed as I went making sure to end up with the top layer being the vanilla pudding.

I enjoyed this challenge very much and I'm very pleased to have stepped out of my comfort zone to try something I wouldn't have ordinarily tried to make. 

Now that you know how easy and fun this is to make, I think you should try it too, don't you?  I'd love to hear your comments and ideas about what you'll fill your entremet with.  The possibilities are endless!
Sending you love. Happy Valentines' Day!

What is joconde?

A light and flexible sponge cake made with almond flour. It is known as La Joconde in France and is named after the Mona Lisa.

What is a joconde entremet?

It is a decorative design baked into a joconde sponge cake providing a surprise element and an elegant or whimsical finishing touch.

Some step-by-step photos for making a chocolate covered strawberry joconde entremet in trifle dish:

• Pipe your chosen design with the decor paste onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until firm.
• Meanwhile make the joconde sponge and use an offset spatula to evently spread the sponge over the firmed decor paste design.
• Bake in a preheated 475-degree Faharenheit oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove the sponge from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Place another sheet of parchment over the sponge and top with an inverted baking sheet.
• With a quick motion, flip the two baking sheets over (your pattern will now be face up). Peel off the parchment paper and cool the cake completely.

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• Since I used a glass trifle dish, I measured the height of the dish and cut strips of my joconde sponge to fit the sides of the trifle dish.
• With the remainder of the sponge, I cut it into smaller pieces to layer the bottom and center of my joconde entremet.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.
• Start layering (in no particular order except starting with sponge and ending with a layer of pudding) with the sponge, brush with orange liquor, top with berries, prepared pudding, liquid jam, and chocolate chips, making sure to end with a layer of pudding.
• Using additional semi-sweet chips melted with 1 tablespoon of butter, I filled a piping bag with the melted chocolate and piped diagonal lines on top.
• I also dipped some whole strawberries in melted chocolate for garnish. (optional)

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Additional special occasion dessert recipes:

*Orange Cream Eclairs (shown below and featured in the video)

If you’re looking for a delicious pastry that’s not too difficult to make but impressive to serve, these Orange Cream Eclairs are just the ticket. A word to the wise, however, you may want to make a double batch because they’ll be gobbled up quickly.

*Puff Pastry Apple Squares (not shown)

When it’s time for dessert, and you want to impress but not spend hours in the kitchen preparing, then these rustic Apple Puff Pastry Squares are just what the dessert doctor ordered.

*Chocolate Cherry Pastry Tower (shown below)

What would you call layers upon layers of puff pastry which encase layers and layers of chocolate, cream cheese, and cherries? Well, why not … Chocolate Cherry Pastry Tower? Works for me! LOL

*Strawberry Crostata (not shown)

Bring this Strawberry Crostata with a sweet almond glaze to the table and any occasion has been instantly upgraded to something truly special…and delicious!

*Chocolate Covered Strawberry Joconde Entrement (shown below) THIS IS THE PLACE!!

Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's special occasion joconde entremet with a chocolate covered strawberry design.

When you make this recipe, and I hope you do, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave a star rating on the recipe card and briefly comment on why you rated it as you did. FYI - Google appreciates recipe ratings and, in turn, will share my recipes with more people. Thank you so much!!

Printable Recipe Card

I hope you've enjoyed this recipe for a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Joconde Entremet as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!

Kudos Kitchen by Renee – Bringing you easy, economical, and delicious dishes to feed the people you love!

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!!