Simple Strawberry Charlotte
Pretty and elegant, this pink and summery pudding is the perfect way to celebrate the first strawberries, says Miranda Gore Browne
Ingredients
- You will need: A springform loose-bottomed tin, non-stick baking paper, 2 medium saucepans, mixing bowl, electric hand whisk, low-sided baking tray, and some ribbon
- 300g sponge fingers (Boudoir biscuits)
For the sugar syrup - 200g granulated sugar
- 225ml water
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the strawberry puree - 250g strawberries
- 2 tbsp water
- 60g caster sugar
For the strawberry mousse - 500g full fat cream cheese
- 300ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
- 75g icing sugar
- 1tbsp lemon zest
The strawberry puree (as made above) - 400g strawberries, finely chopped
For the topping - 300ml double cream
- 20g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 200g strawberries, to decorate, plus daisies and forget-me-nots
Method
- For the sugar syrup, put the water, sugar and lemon zest into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes and then lift off the heat and put to one side to cool.
- For the puree, hull and chop the strawberries.
- Pop them into another pan with the sugar and water, bring to the boil and simmer until soft. Blend until smooth with an electric hand mixer and put to one side to cool.
- For the mousse, put the double cream and cream cheese into a mixing bowl with the icing sugar, vanilla and lemon zest and whip until thick and creamy. Gently fold in the cooled strawberry puree.
- Cut a circle of baking paper to line the base of a springform tin.
- Cut a little piece off the end of each sponge finger to give a straight edge. Dip each of the sponge fingers into the sugar syrup, one at a time and carefully place them around the inside edge of the cake tin.
- Cover the base of the tin with more of the dipped biscuits.
- Thinly slice about half of the remaining strawberries.
- Spoon about a third of the cream mixture on top of the biscuit base and smooth to cover. Spread a layer of the sliced strawberries on top. Add another layer of the cream mixture and a second layer of strawberries, then the final layer of cream mixture.
- For the topping, whip the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla. Spread this on top and then lift the whole pudding in the tin onto a low sided baking tray.
- Put it in the fridge to chill and firm up for at least four hours or overnight.
- Carefully take the pudding out of the fridge. Release the spring form clip and lift the cake out of the tin.
- Place onto a serving dish or board. Decorate with more strawberries and some pretty, edible flowers – I used daisies and forget-me-nots.
- Finally, tie a little ribbon around the outside of the biscuits and make it into a bow.
