After having to cancel my trip to France, I was craving some of my favorite desserts even more than usual. I spent some time going through my mental notes of what would satisfy my craving and comfort me a bit until I can hop on a flight and stop by one of my favorite bakeries (more on that another time). Then came the feeling of wanting something that I did not need the oven for… Queue the easy/no-bake Strawberry Charlotte Cake or Charlotte aux Fraises.
This dessert is one of the classics I enjoyed growing up in France. The Strawberry Charlotte is also a great dessert to prepare in advance for your dinner party.
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| RECIPE |
|---|
| Serves: 8 |
| Base 11 ounces Ladyfingers (30 to 40 cookies) 1 cup of water 1 ½ teaspoon of water Filling 1 lb Strawberries ¾ cup Mascarpone 1 cup Whipping cream ⅓ cup Confectioners Sugar 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Finish 1 tablespoon strawberry jam |
Steps:
- Wash your strawberries. Dice 1/2 lb and reserve the other half.
- In a bowl, combine the water and lemon juice. Lightly deep the Ladyfingers in the mixtures and dispose of the cookies in your mold. Place the smooth side of the ladyfingers towards the inside of the cake. Line the bottom working in smaller pieces for full coverage.
- In a medium/large bowl, combine the Mascarpone/ whipping cream and vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer to whip until you obtain a smooth and fluffy mousse.
- Add about 1/3 of the mousse to the lined cake mold. Sprinkle with dice strawberry and add a layer of ladyfingers (remember to lightly deep before adding it).
- Repeat the process with ⅓ mousse, the remaining diced strawberry, and one last layer of ladyfingers.
- Lay the remaining of the mousse on top of your ladyfingers layer.
- Use the reserved strawberries and cut them in half. Place them on top of the mousse with one whole strawberry at the center.
- Finally, place the strawberry jam in a bowl and heat it up for 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Brush the strawberries to obtain a finish gleam of deliciousness.
- Place the charlotte cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours before gently sliding off the cake ring.
Tips
- Choose your plate/support wide enough for your cake ring to lay flat.
- Use an 8” cake circle as your base and adjust the ring accordingly
- Dipping the cookie too long will make it harder to manipulate.
- I choose to prepare the cake and leave it in the fridge overnight for the best consistency.
Tools used
Et voila! Let me know if you try this Strawberry Charlotte Recipe. Leave a comment or share on Instagram using #zestncrumbs
