Strawberry & Passion Fruit Charlotte

Before starting this Strawberry & Passion Fruit Charlotte recipe, organise the necessary ingredients to make the pink sponge finger biscuit.

Pour the egg yolks in the stand mixer bowl.

Add the castor sugar...

... and beat until pale and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, pour the egg whites...

... and beat until firm.

Add the castor sugar...

... and beat until you obtain a meringue.

Sift the flour and potato starch in a mixing bowl. Add the metallic pink colouring.

Combine the ingredients.

Add the meringue to the blanched egg yolks and fold gently with a spatula type maryse...

...so the preparation does not collapse.

Add the pink preparation...

... and combine gently...

... until the consistency is homogeneous.

Transfer the preparation into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (diameter 1 cm). Set aside.

On a sheet of greaseproof paper, draw parallel lines that will serve as a guide when piping the sponge finger biscuit. Draw parallel strips to a width of 6 cm.

Pipe small finger biscuits between two lines in tight rows.

You need to create two strips to a length of 35 cm.

Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Bake in a fan-assisted oven at 160°C (gas 3) for about 10 minutes.

n the meantime, place two mousse rings over two Silpat baking mat...

... and pipe the rest of the pink preparation in the shape of a spiral, starting from the centre.

When you get to the sides of the ring, remove the ring (it only serves as a guide for this operation). Finish piping the outer edge of the spiral.

Sprinkle the discs with icing sugar. Set aside.

When the biscuits are cooked...

... remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Bake the discs between 12 and 15 minutes if you bake them simultaneously in the oven. For even cooking results, swap the baking trays halfway during baking. If you're cooking the biscuit discs separately, 10 minutes will be enough.

When cooked, the biscuit should look like this.

For the vanilla Bavarian cream: Organise the necessary ingredients.

In a saucepan, bring the whipping cream to a boil.

Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with a knife.

Add the vanilla seeds and pod to the saucepan.

Steep the gelatine sheets in cold water.

Soak for a few minutes.

In a mixing bowl, pour the egg yolks and caster sugar.

Blanch the ingredients using a whisk.

When the cream starts boiling...

... pour over the blanched egg yolks.

Combine with a whisk until homogeneous.

Transfer the preparation into the saucepan used to boil the cream and cook over medium heat until it reaches 82°C (temperature where eggs start to coagulate). Make sure the temperature doesn't exceed 82°C. This technique is used for crème anglaise (custard). The use of a digital thermometer is essential for this operation.

When cooked, pass the cream through a fine sieve to get rid of any lumps and chalazae.

Strain the soft gelatine...

... and add to the cream.

Combine with the whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Leave to cool at room temperature.

Beat the whipping cream until you obtain a whipped cream, using an electric whisk.

Add the whipped cream to the vanilla preparation at room temperature.

Fold the ingredients gently with a spatula until homogeneous.

Cut the passion fruits in half...

... and extract the pulp with a teaspoon.

Add the passion fruit pulp to the vanilla preparation and combine gently. Reserve in the fridge.

When the biscuits strips are at room temperature, trim the edges with a knife...

... to create two regular strips.

Gently remove the greaseproof paper to release the biscuits.

Using a mousse ring with a diameter of 18 cm, cut the two discs.

Discard the scraps.

Gently lift the disc with a cranked metallic spatula. Repeat the same operation with the second disc.

In the springform charlotte mould (Ø 20cm), arrange the biscuits strips all around the inner side of the mould.

You will need two strips of biscuits to line the mould.

Get rid of the biscuit excess...

... so that both ends join perfectly.

Place one biscuit disc at the bottom of the Charlotte mould (the crust side should be facing down)...

... as shown in the photo.

Pour the vanilla and passion fruit preparation...

... up to 0.5cm from the rim of the biscuit strip.

Cover the preparation with the second biscuit disc. Store in the freezer overnight.

For the strawberry mousse: Organise the necessary ingredients.

Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water.

Pour the strawberry purée in a saucepan...

... add the castor sugar....

... then heat and bring to a boil. When the strawberry purée first gets to boil, stop the heat.

Strain the gelatine sheets...

... and add them to the hot purée. Combine well until dissolved completely.

Transfer the hot preparation into a large baking sheet with raised edges so it cools down faster.

In the meantime, beat the whipping cream until you obtain a whipped cream.

When the strawberry purée is at room temperature, tip it into a separate recipient.

Add half of the whipped cream...

... and combine with a whisk until homogeneous.

Add the rest of the whipped cream...

... and fold gently.

Optional: Cut the candied strawberries into small pieces...

... so you obtain a diced mix.

Place some strawberry preparation in a small bowl.

Add the candied strawberry cubes and combine. Add this mix to the rest of the strawberry preparation and fold gently so the strawberry cubes are evenly distributed.

Pour the strawberry preparation into a Pavocake dome mould (diameter 18 cm). Even the surface and cover with cling film. Store in the freezer overnight.

For the raspberry marmalade: Organise the necessary ingredients.

Place the raspberries in a saucepan with half of the castor sugar.

Place a saucepan over medium heat.

The raspberries should release moisture and the consistency should become liquid.

When the preparation starts boiling...

... combine the rest of the castor sugar and the pectin NH together. It is important to premix these ingredients together to avoid lumps.

Combine well with a teaspoon.

Add the sugar and pectin NH mix to the boiling raspberry purée and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula.

Transfer the purée into a piping bag then leave to cool in the fridge.

When the raspberry purée has cooled down and has a marmalade consistency, remove the Charlotte from the freezer and cover the biscuit with the raspberry marmalade...

... and spread with a cranked metallic spatula. Reserve in the freezer.

When the strawberry dome is fully frozen...

... remove the cling film...

... and gently release the dome from the silicone mould. This operation should be easy.

Carefully hold the strawberry mousse half sphere with your hand...

... and arrange it gently in the Charlotte mould. Return the Charlotte to the freezer.

For the passion fruit mousse: Organise the necessary ingredients.

Pour the passion fruit purée in a saucepan and add the castor sugar. Bring to a boil.

In the meantime, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water.

When the passion fruit purée gets to a boil, strain the gelatin sheets. Add the gelatin to the passion fruit purée. Combine well until dissolved.

Pour the passion fruit purée into a deep tray to make it cool down faster.

Beat the whipping cream until you obtain a whipped cream. Reserve in the fridge.

When the passion fruit purée is at room temperature, transfer into a mixing bowl.

Add the whipped cream...

... and combine with a whisk until homogeneous.

Transfer the preparation into a piping bag. The use of a nozzle is not necessary.

Remove the Charlotte mould from the freezer.

Cut the tip of the piping bag with scissors to create a small hole. Fill the space around the dome with the passion fruit mousse.

Cover with cling film and place in the freezer overnight.

The next day, remove the Charlotte from the freezer and remove the cling film. Gently release the cake from the mould. Slightly heat the sides of the mould with a blow torch.

Loosen the latch of the springform pan...

... and gently slide the cake upwards. Place the frozen Charlotte on a cake board. At this stage, the cake can be store in the fridge.

For the whipped cream: Organise the necessary ingredients.

Place the whipping cream in the stand mixer recipient.

Combine the icing sugar and the whipped cream stabilizer together...

... using a teaspoon.

Add the powder mix to the bowl.

Add a few drops of liquid vanilla extract...

... and beat until you obtain a firm whipped cream. The use of whipped cream stabilizer will ensure the cream keeps its consistency.

Transfer the Chantilly into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (diameter 5mm).

Pipe a lace of Chantilly cream over the dome, starting where the strawberry dome and passion fruit mousse meet.

Pipe the Chantilly into a spiral then spread with a cranked metallic spatula so the dome is completely covered with cream.

Arrange the red berries all around the base of the dome, alternating between different varieties (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries...).

Cut the strawberries into quarters and arrange a row of strawberries around the dome.

Over the top of the dome, place a mix of red berries.

This is what the charlotte should look like.

Sprinkle gold flakes over the cake, then arrange a few mint leaves.

Let the cake defrost slowly in the fridge. This should take about 6 hours before you can serve the Charlotte.
Enjoy this delicious dessert!