This dessert not only makes beautiful presentation but is also filled with a delicious strawberry cream cheese filling
Finally, freedom day is only less than a day to go (Yay!!). Sydney has been in lockdown for 106 days. We can’t wait for businesses to open and to finally have the chance to catch up with friends and families.
It’s been a while since my last post. I got a new job and totally neglected my blog. This week, I’ve decided to start writing again by introducing this delicious strawberry charlotte cake.
I’ve made this strawberry charlotte cake for a dear friend to cheer her up. Thanks for the single bubble arrangement, I was able to visit her.
A charlotte is a classic French molded dessert that can be served cold or hot. The main ingredients of a charlotte is bread, sponge cake or biscuits, fruit puree or custard. For this recipe, I’ve opted to use a sponge cake base aka ladyfingers and a delicious cream cheese as the filling. Strawberry is in season now so I use strawberries as my main fruit ingredient in my cream cheese filling.
Technique to Master
- Beating egg whites to stiff peak
- Using a piping bag
Equipment You Need
- Pastry bag
- Round piping tip (e.g. Wilton tip #12)
- Dessert ring/ring mold
- Acetate cake band (optional but good to have)
Learn to Make Them
There are 3 parts to this recipe:
- Part 1: Baking the sponge cake aka ladyfingers.
- Part 2: Making the strawberry cream cheese filling.
- Part 3: Assemble the cake
Let’s have a look at the steps:
Make sure your bowl and whisk are clean and dry before beating the egg whites. Any residue of fat will prevent the egg whites from beating up properly.
How do you know your egg white mixture/meringue has reached stiff peak consistency? Just turn your whisk upside down, they should point straight up (or maybe a little bit just at the tip) without collapsing at all. Just make sure you check the consistency of your meringue 30-40 seconds after adding the last portion of the sugar to avoid over-beating.
Draw one 16cm circle, and a 7cm high x 58cm long line on a baking paper. Flip the baking paper so that the pencil mark is at the bottom.
I use a round piping tip to pipe the round disk and “catridge belt” strip. You can also pipe individual ladyfinger cookies, just make sure you leave a space in between as the batter will expand as they bake. Dust twice with icing sugar 5 minutes apart.
Baking time very much dependent on individual oven. I took out mine at 9 mins mark. Leave them to cool before lining the mold.
To assemble the ladyfingers layer, place the cookie base inside the ring mold. Cut to the required size. Line the ladyfingers “belt” strip around the inside of the ring, covering the side of the base. Your cookie base must be inside the “belt” layer. Brush it with a simple syrup by mixing equal part of sugar and water (e.g. 20g water:20g sugar). Cover and let them chill in the fridge.
If you don’t have a ring mold, you can use a spring form mold. Just ensure they are the size that you require.
You can keep the pulp in a separate bowl or mix them with the strawberry puree after straining. Leave to cool before using.
To bloom the gelatin, add gelatin powder into the water and mix well. The gelatin will set after a few minutes. Microwave the bloomed gelatin for 20 seconds or melt them on a bowl of hot water. Let it cool down slightly before adding them into the cream cheese mixture.
Use cream straight from the fridge for the best volume and texture. It will be more stable and not easily split. If you want to pipe decorations on top of the filling, you can take out about 200g of the strawberry mixture.
I use jam to glaze the strawberries. Just melt the jam in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds before glazing. I also use the strawberry leaves as the garnish.
For a final touch, tie a ribbon around the cake.
Recipe Tips
- Egg whites and cream: Chill the egg whites and cream in the fridge before beating. It makes them more stable and cream will not easily split.
- Cream cheese: Make sure cream cheese is soft. Leave it out at room temperature until soft before using. You don’t want chunks of cream cream in your filling.
- Make sure the mixing bowl and whisk are clean and dry. Any residue of fat will prevent the egg whites from beating up properly.
- Make sure to chill the filling for at least 4 hours.
- Use wire whisk to fold in the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture as it combines the ingredients a lot faster without deflating them.
- If you don’t have a ring mold, you can use a spring form mold to layer the ladyfingers.
This recipe was adapted from Boone Bake. They make pretty desserts I love their channel.
Strawberry Charlotte Cake
A charlotte is a classic French molded dessert that can be served cold or hot. This dessert not only makes beautiful presentation but is also filled with a delicious strawberry cream cheese filling
Ingredients
– Egg yolk : from 3 eggs
– Caster sugar : 20g
– Vanilla extract : 1 tsp
– Egg white : from 3 eggs
– Caster sugar : 70g
– Lemon juice : 1 tsp
– Cake flour : 90g
– Icing sugar for dusting
– Simple syrup : 20g water and 20 sugar
Part 2: Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
*A: Strawberry Puree
– Frozen strawberries : 235g
– Caster sugar : 50g
– Lemon juice : 2 tbsp
*B: Cream Cheese Filling
– Gelatin powder : 3 tsp
– Water : 3 tbsp
– Cream cheese, soften at room temperature : 150g
– Caster sugar : 55g
– Plain yogurt : 150g
– Heavy cream : 300g
Part 3: Assemble the Cake:
– Fresh strawberries, cleaned and pat dry
– Jam for glazing
– Strawberry leaves
Directions
Part 1: Baking the ladyfingers
1. Separate the egg yolk and egg white. Whisk egg yolk with egg then add in vanilla extract.
2. Using a clean mixing bowl, add in the egg white and lemon juice. Add in 1/3 of the sugar and beat the egg white until it resembles bear bubble about 30 seconds. Add in another 1/3 of the sugar and beat the egg white for about 30 seconds. Add in the final 1/3 of the sugar and beat the mixture until it reaches stiff peak consistency. Check the meringue at 30-40 seconds mark. Do not over-beat.
3. Using a wire whisk, fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture in 3 batches. Then fold in the cake flour.
4. Pour the ladyfingers batter into a piping bag with a round piping tip. Pipe a 16cm round disk, starting from the centre and work your way out. Then pipe a 7cmx58cm “belt” strip. Dust twice with icing sugar 5 minutes apart.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degree Celsius for about 8-10 mins.
6. Leave the ladyfingers to cool and remove the baking paper.
7. To assemble the ladyfingers layer, place the cookie base inside the ring mold. Cut to the required size. Line the ladyfingers “belt” strip around the inside of the ring, covering the side of the base. Your cookie base must be inside the “belt” layer. Brush with simple syrup (mix sugar and water). Cover and let them chill in the fridge.
Part 2: Making the strawberry cream cheese filling
8. Place frozen strawberries, caster sugar and lemon juice in a pot. Cook until they are soft. Strain the mixture. You can also mix the pulp into the strawberry puree. Leave the puree to cool.
9. To bloom the gelatin, mix the gelatin powder in water. Mix well and set aside.
10. In a bowl, beat the soften cream cheese and sugar. Add in the yogurt and mix well.
11. Microwave the bloomed gelatin for 20 seconds or melt them on a bowl of hot water. Let the gelatin cool down slightly before adding it into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well.
12. Beat the chilled heavy cream until soft peak. Add the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 3 batches. Mix well with wire whisk/spatula. Add in strawberry puree.
13. Pour the strawberry cream cheese filling into the the lined mold. Cover and let it chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Part 3: Assemble the cake
14. Decorate the cake by placing the strawberries on top of the cake or whichever you prefer.
15. Melt the jam in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Using a pastry brush, glaze the strawberries and garnish them with some strawberry leaves.
16. Lastly (but optional), for a final touch, tie a ribbon around the cake.
- Egg whites and cream: Chill the egg whites and cream in the fridge before beating. It makes them more stable and cream will not easily split.
- Cream cheese: Make sure cream cheese is soft. Leave it out at room temperature until soft before using. You don’t want chunks of cream cream in your filling.
- Make sure the mixing bowl and whisk are clean and dry. Any residue of fat will prevent the egg whites from beating up properly.
- Make sure to chill the filling for at least 4 hours.
- Use wire whisk to fold in the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture as it combines the ingredients a lot faster without deflating them.
- If you don’t have a ring mold, you can use a spring form mold to layer the ladyfingers.
Nutrition Per Serving (Based on 12 servings):
DID YOU BAKE THIS?
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