Strawberry Chocolate Charlotte
Light and fluffy, this Charlotte cake tastes like a spring breeze. Consisting of lady fingers, chocolate pastry cream and fresh sweet strawberries, this no-bake dessert is simple to make yet impressive and perfect for any occasion. You can be creative with the recipe and replace the chocolate pastry cream with vanilla pastry cream, whipped cream or any other cream you like. As for the fruits, choose whatever is in bloom or what is available in your fridge. However you decide to make it, the outcome is delicious and elegant.
Strawberry Chocolate Charlotte
Yield: 8
Ingredients
- 20 lady fingers
- Chocolate pastry cream:
- 4 1/2 cups milk of choice
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 egg yolks+ 1egg
- 1 cup sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 5 tbsp cornstarch
- 12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 1 cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
Instructions
- Place the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the egg yolks and the egg with the sugar until light.
- Add the orange zest, cocoa powder, and corn starch. Whisk well until you get a smooth mixture.
- As soon as the milk starts boiling, remove it from the heat and slowly pour it in a thin stream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Return the final mixture to the saucepan and whisk vigorously on medium heat until it thickens.
- When the first bubbles break into the surface, lower the heat and add the chocolate chips. Continue whisking until the chips are melted and well incorporated in the cream.
- Remove from the heat and mix in the butter.
- Pour the custard into a bowl and immediately cover it with plastic wrap to prevent the skin from forming on the surface.
- Let cool at room temperature then transfer to the fridge to chill if not using the same day.
- Line an 8-inch round springform cake pan or a Charlotte pan with parchment paper.
- Arrange the lady fingers standing upright and tight side by side around the edges of the pan then cover the bottom with more fingers.
- Pour half of the custard in an even layer over the bottom biscuits.
- Top with half of the strawberry jam. Add another layer of lady fingers followed by a layer of the remaining custard and jam.
- Finish with a final layer of the lady fingers (you might need more than 20 pieces depending on their size).
- Place the pan in the fridge for at least 4 hours up to overnight to allow it to set.
- Carefully remove the Charlotte from the springform pan. Peel off the paper and place the cake on a serving platter.
- Spread the strawberry slices in any pattern you like all over the top surface. Cover with small dollops of jam if you like.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shaves, slice, serve and enjoy!
