Ingredients
Method
- Pulse flour, cold cubed butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor until sandy. Add egg and vanilla, pulse until dough clumps. Form into a disc, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough ¼ inch thick on parchment. Cut out numbers using a stencil or freehand. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Transfer parchment to a baking sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until edges are golden and centers firm. Cool completely on the pan.
- Whip cold heavy cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste to stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep chilled.
- Place one cookie number on a platter. Pipe cream dots over the surface, then layer half the sliced strawberries on top. Top with the second cookie, pressing gently.
- Pipe remaining cream on top and arrange the rest of the strawberries and whole berries. Brush with warm jam mixture if using. Serve within 2 hours.
Notes
The cookie dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled. Assembling more than 2 hours before serving will soften the cookie layers; for the crispest texture, build the cake as close to serving time as you can. This cake is best eaten the day it’s made.
