Strawberry Charlotte Recipes

STRAWBERRY CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, soften the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the boiling water to the mixture and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
• Add the sugar, the lemon juice and the crushed strawberries and stir gently to combine. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator until it begins to set.
• Whip the gelatin mixture until somewhat fluffy. Fold in the egg whites, followed by the cream.
• Pour into a 1-quart mold, which, if desired, may be garnished by placing extra whole strawberries on the bottom. Chill in the refrigerator until firm. To serve, unmold the charlotte by dipping the base of the mold in hot water and then inverting it onto a serving plate. Decorate with a few whole berries with the stems intact. Serve plain or use sweetened, crushed strawberries as a sauce.

STRAWBERRY CHARLOTTE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven on 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking flat trays with Baking Paper. Draw the shape of the Pastry Ring (see note 1 for size) you will be using on one of the Baking Paper, and flip it.
• In your Stand Mixer, whip the Egg Whites until you reach soft peaks. Gradually add the Caster Sugar, a little bit at the time, until you get Stiff Peaks.
• Slowly beat in the Egg Yolks, then the Plain Flour and Cornstarch. Stop as soon as all incorporated to avoid deflating the Egg Whites.
• Transfer the Ladyfinger Biscuits Batter into a large Pastry Bag with a large round nozzle.
• Make the base of the cake on the sheet with the circle drawn: start from the centre of the ring and create a spiral around it with the batter, stopping about 2cm/0.8inch from the edges.
• Make the edges of the cake: pipe small lines of batter next to each other in long rows (they should touch and be about the same height as your pastry ring). (see note 2)
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed and golden. Transfer on a cooling rack with the baking paper and set aside to cool down.
• Blend the Strawberries and pour the liquid through a thin mesh sieve to discard any seeds. Place the blended Strawberries in a small pot with the Vanilla Paste and turn on low heat (see note 3)
• In a separate bowl, whisk the Egg Yolks and Sugar. When the strawberry juice starts to simmer, add the Yolks/Sugar. Continuously stir with a stiff spatula until the liquid starts to thicken (see note 4). Remove from the heat.
• Mix the Gelatine Powder with a little bit of cold water and set aside for a couple of minutes, then whisk it into the Strawberry Cream until smooth. Cover with wrap and place in the fridge to cool (see note 5).
• When the strawberries reach room temperature, start whipping the Heavy Cream until almost stiff. Gently fold in the whipped Cream in the Strawberry Cream in 3 or 4 times. Set aside.
• Place the Pastry Ring over a flat baking tray (or the tray you will use to serve the cake). Optional: place an acetate strip on the inside edge of the ring.
• Dice about 200gr (0,4lb) of the strawberries and set aside.
• Slice the bottom of the ladyfinger biscuit strips if needed so they can sit flat. They should be the same height as the Ring (or slightly higher if preferred).
• Place the ladyfinger biscuit base inside the Ring, and the ladyfinger Biscuit strips around it. Make sure the edges are packed in really tight (see note 6).
• Pour half of the Strawberry Cream over the biscuit base. Cover with the Diced Strawberries (and the rest of the ladyfinger cookies, cut into small cubes, if any leftover).
• Pour the rest of the Strawberry Cream over and use a small offset spatula to smooth the top.
• Optional: Cover with the Strawberry Coulis/Sauce.
• Spread the rest of the fresh Strawberries over the Cream and Coulis. Place in the fridge to set for at least 2 or 3 hours.
• Optional: before serving, you can sprinkle some Desiccated Coconut, Dark Chocolate Shaving and/or Fresh Mint Leaves over the fresh Strawberries

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Line the sides and bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan with ladyfingers, rounded sides out; trim to fit, if necessary. (Save remaining ladyfingers for another use.), Quickly spread ice cream into prepared pan; freeze, covered, 30 minutes. Spread sorbet over ice cream; freeze 30 minutes longer., Meanwhile, place strawberries and confectioners' sugar in a food processor; process until pureed. Reserve 1/4 cup puree for swirling. Transfer remaining puree to a large bowl; whisk in marshmallow creme., In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold into marshmallow mixture. Spread evenly over sorbet; drizzle with reserved puree. Cut through puree with a knife to swirl. Freeze, covered, overnight., Remove from freezer; carefully loosen sides from pan with a knife. Remove rim from pan. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY ROSE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• For ladyfingers: In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with a mixer at medium speed. Gradually beat all but 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar into yolks until pale and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, fold flour into mixture until incorporated.
• In a separate medium bowl, beat egg whites and salt with a mixer, beginning at a low speed. Add remaining 1½ teaspoons sugar and rose oil. In increments, increase mixer speed until stiff peaks form.
• Using a separate spatula, fold egg whites into yolk mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Spoon batter into a piping bag fitted with a ¾-inch decorating tip.
• Pipe batter onto prepared pan in 3½-inch ladyfingers. Dust with a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar
• Bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Set aside or freeze until ready to use.
• For cake: Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly grease an 8-inch cake pan with butter.
• Sift all-purpose flour, pistachio flour, salt, and cardamom into a medium bowl.
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl.
• Add eggs, one at a time, and beat after each addition until fully blended. Add vanilla extract and
• pistachio paste; continue to beat until fully combined.
• Add flour mixture and blend until combined. Do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Using a cake slicer or serrated knife, cut cake in half horizontally.
• For mousse: In a large saucepan, cook strawberries over medium heat until smooth; blend with an immersion blender or blender. Add ⅓ cup sugar and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together gelatin and lemon juice; let stand until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Add gelatin mixture to strawberry mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, beat cream with remaining ¼ cup sugar with a mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. If desired, add rose oil and food coloring; beat 1 minute more.
• Fold strawberry purée into whipped cream until combined.
• For ganache: In a medium saucepan, bring cream and honey just to a boil over medium heat; immediately pour cream mixture over chocolate, and let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk well. Add butter and whisk until smooth.
• To assemble: Line an 8-inch cake pan with plastic wrap, letting excess extend over sides of pan. Place one cake layer inside, and smooth down sides of plastic wrap. Spread strawberry mousse over cake; top with remaining cake layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Using excess plastic wrap as handles, remove from pan and transfer cake to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Pour ganache over top until it drizzles over completely; spread evenly with a spatula. Before ganache sets, press lady fingers around sides of cake, making sure they adhere. Tie a ribbon around charlotte and top with strawberries glazed with jam, if desired.

STRAWBERRY CHARLOTTE CAKE

Steps:

• Step 1 - Make the strawberry puree. Wash the strawberries and cut the tails off. Set aside about 15-16 strawberries (the best looking ones), and puree the rest in a blender. If needed, strain the puree through a fine-meshed strainer to discard the seeds. I used my vitamix to puree the strawberries so the seeds were pulverized well.
• In a medium-sized sauce pan, heat up about a third of the strawberry puree with half of the sugar (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons/75g) and the gelatine. Boil for 1 minute, whisking continuously (to avoid lumps), until the sugar has disolved and the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat, whisk in the rest of the strawberry puree, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Step 2 - Make the soaking syrup. In a small saucepan, heat up the water (5oz/150ml) with the other half of the sugar (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons/75g) and the zest of the lime. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Step 3 - Make the strawberry mousse In a large mixing bowl, whip up the cream to a firm peak. Gently fold in the strawberry puree, using a spatula. Do not overmix: stop mixing where the mousse is evenly pink in color and no lumps are visible, but the mixture still has to feel airy and foamy.
• Step 4 - Assemble the cake.
• Line an 8" round spring form cake pan with parchment paper (bottom and rims).
• Take 4 strawberries and cut them in halves.
• Take a ladyfinger and soak the flat side (the bottom) in the syrup. Place it against the side of the pan, rounded-side facing out and flat side (soaked side) facing inward. Repeat and arrange the ladyfingers all around the sides of pan, nice and snug to avoid gaps. You should use about 18-19 ladyfingers to fill the entire rim. Place the rest of the ladyfingers in one layer at the bottom of the pan, (rounded-side facing down, flat-size facing up), nice and snug to avoid gaps.
• Pour half of the strawberry mousse inside the "ladyfinger mold" (this will also help keep the ladyfingers in place). Place the strawberry halves in one layer on top of the mousse. Ladle the rest of the mousse on top, and smooth it out with your spatula. I like to decorate the top of the cake with fresh strawberries, so do not worry too much about the mousse topping being too nice and smooth.
• Place the Charlotte cake in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours (preferably longer). You should be able to slice the cake for serving, so the mousse has to set until relatively firm (but not too rubbery).
• Step 5 - To serve. When the Charlotte is chilled and set, carefully remove it from the springform mold, peel off the parchment paper from the edges and place on a serving tray. If chilled enough, the cake should be easy to work with. If it is too soft (and starts to fall), give it more time in the fridge before you try to unmold it.
• Optional: when on the serving tray, you can tie a ribbon around the Charlotte cake. Not too tight, but just enough to keep the cake together in case it has to sit at room temperature too long before slicing.
• Right before serving, slice the rest of the strawberries (10) in halves, and place them on top of the cake to decorate.