French cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Strawberry Charlotte

A mold lined with ladyfingers, filled with airy strawberry mousse and fresh berries, chilled overnight.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 24 ladyfingers
• 700 g strawberries
• 120 g sugar
• 6 sheets gelatin
• 400 ml cream
• 1 organic lemon
• 100 ml water
• 3 tbsp sugar for the syrup
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Soak the gelatin in cold water, and wash, hull and finely purée 500 g of the strawberries; the charlotte will then need at least 6 hrs. of chilling, ideally overnight.
2. Boil the water with the 3 tbsp sugar and the juice of half a lemon, let cool, and dip the ladyfingers only very briefly, sugared side out, so they don't get soggy.
3. Line a 22 cm springform pan with parchment paper, line the edge tightly with the ladyfingers and cover the base with more ladyfingers.
4. Warm the strawberry purée with the 120 g sugar and the remaining lemon juice, dissolve the squeezed-out gelatin in it, and let the mixture cool while stirring until it visibly starts to set.
5. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until stiff, fold it into the strawberry purée in two batches, and pour the mousse into the mold; smooth the top and chill for at least 6 hrs.
6. Unmold the charlotte, top with the remaining halved strawberries, wrap a parchment band or ribbon around it, and slice well chilled.