Q1: What is a Charlotte Cake?

A Charlotte is a classic French molded dessert. It is typically made in a round mold that has been lined with a "wall" of cookies (most famously, ladyfingers) or slices of buttered bread. The inside is then filled with a fruit purée, mousse, or a Bavarian cream. The final dessert is chilled, unmolded, and often tied with a ribbon.

Q2: What can I do if I can't find ladyfingers (savoiardi)?

Crisp, Italian-style ladyfingers are truly the best choice for their structure and absorbency. If you absolutely cannot find them, you could substitute slices of a firm, dry pound cake or an angel food cake, but the final texture will be different and much softer.

Q3: Why didn't my mousse set up properly?

The most common reason for a mousse that doesn't set is an issue with the gelatin. It is crucial to let the gelatin powder "bloom" in the cold water for the full 10 minutes, and then to make sure it fully melts and dissolves into the warm strawberry purée. If the gelatin doesn't dissolve properly, it won't be able to set the mousse. The long, uninterrupted chilling time of at least 6 hours is also essential.

Q4: How do I get a super clean, professional edge on my cake when I remove the pan?

The secret to a perfect, clean finish is to line the inside ring of your springform pan with a strip of parchment paper or, for an even cleaner result, a strip of clear acetate (which you can find at baking supply stores or online). When you unmold the chilled cake, this liner will peel away cleanly, leaving a perfectly smooth and beautiful side.

Q5: Can I make this cake without the gelatin?

The gelatin is a crucial ingredient for this specific recipe's stability. It is the stabilizer that allows the very light, airy whipped cream and strawberry mousse to set up firmly enough to be sliced like a cake. Without the gelatin, the filling would be a very soft, delicious pudding, but it would not hold its shape when you unmold it.

Stunning & Easy Strawberry Charlotte Cake

Name: The Best Stunning & Easy Strawberry Charlotte Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 6 h 41 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 60 g cold water; 1 tablespoon gelatin powder; 40 ladyfingers; 450 g (about 2 cups) whipping cream; 40 g (about 1/3 cup) powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 700 g (about 4-5 cups) strawberries, finely diced; 8 whole strawberries, for topping

The Best Stunning & Easy Strawberry Charlotte Cake

An elegant, no-bake dessert, this Strawberry Charlotte Cake is constructed by lining a springform pan with ladyfinger cookies to create the ‘walls’ of the cake. It is then filled with layers of more ladyfingers, fresh diced strawberries, and a light strawberry mousse. The mousse is made from pureed strawberries stabilized with gelatin and folded into a homemade sweetened whipped cream. The cake is chilled for several hours to set the mousse and soften the ladyfingers into a cake-like texture, then decorated with piped whipped cream and whole strawberries.

Author: Grace
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 6 hours 41 minutes (includes chilling time)
Yield: 10-12 servings
Category: Dessert
Method: No-Bake, Chilling, Layering
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

60 g cold water
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
40 ladyfingers
450 g (about 2 cups) whipping cream
40 g (about 1/3 cup) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
700 g (about 4-5 cups) strawberries, finely diced
8 whole strawberries, for topping

Instructions

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin powder over the cold water. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to bloom.
Line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper or clear acetate.
Trim about ¼-inch off one end of about 23 ladyfingers so they can stand flat. Arrange them in a tight ring, cut-side down, around the inside of the pan.
Arrange a layer of the remaining ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan, cutting them as needed to fill any gaps.
Add an even layer of about 200g of the diced strawberries on top of the ladyfinger base. Set aside.
Make the Mousse: In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Reserve about 100g of the whipped cream in a piping bag for the topping and set it aside.
Place 250g of the diced strawberries in a blender. Microwave the bloomed gelatin for about 15 seconds until it has melted into a liquid, then add it to the blender. Blend until the strawberries are completely pureed.
Pour the pureed strawberry mixture into the bowl of whipped cream. Gently fold them together with a spatula until no streaks remain.
Assemble the Cake: Pour about half of the strawberry mousse into the prepared pan over the strawberry layer. Smooth into a flat layer.
Arrange another layer of ladyfingers on top of the mousse. Add the rest of the diced strawberries on top.
Finally, add the rest of the mousse mixture on top and smooth the top with a spatula.
Pipe the reserved whipped cream in a decorative ring on top of the cake. Arrange the 8 whole strawberries on top.
Chill: Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, until the mousse is firm.
To serve, release the cake from the springform pan, remove the parchment paper, and tie a ribbon around the cake if desired.

Notes

This is a no-bake dessert, but it requires a long chilling time for the gelatin-based mousse to set properly.
Blooming the gelatin in cold water first is a crucial step to ensure it dissolves smoothly when melted.
Trimming the ladyfingers for the sides helps them stand up straight and creates a neater presentation.
The long chill time not only sets the mousse but also softens the ladyfingers into a soft, cake-like texture.

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/the-best-stunning-easy-strawberry-charlotte-cake/