Strawberry Charlotte Cake Food

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 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.

STRAWBERRY CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Keep aside 3 oz of strawberries to decorate the cake at the end of the recipe. Make a strawberrry purée using a blender. Chill the purée.
• Mix sugar and egg yolks and beat them until pale yellow. Chill the mixture.
• Beat the cream.
• Line the sides of a cylindrical mold with ladyfingers.
• Fold the chilled strawberry purée into the chilled mixture, then into the cream. Put in the mold. Add lady fingers over the cream.
• Cover with wraxed paper and refrigerate for 8 hours.
• Reverse dessert into a serving dish. Decorate with fresh strawberries.