Ingredients
Makes one rectangular sized cake pan
Serves 12 – 20
*use one of the below syrup choices for dipping ladyfinger
**this recipe is best made a day ahead
My syrup
150ml of Vine peach liquor
150ml of water
1.5 tbsp of Orange blossom flour water
or Traditional syrup
150ml of strawberry syrup (see below for homemade version)
75ml of rum
75ml water
1.5 tbsp of Orange blossom flour water
1 box of ladyfingers (400g or about 30 in qty)
1k of strawberries
270g of creme fraiche
20 cl of creme liquid
40 g of sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
Equipment
rectangular cake pan
saran wrap
toothpicks
Preparation
1- The key to making this dessert is getting all your ingredients prepared for assembly. I start with the syrup water for dipping. Whether you are doing my version or the traditional, add the ingredients to a shallow bowl that will make dipping your lady fingers easy. Set aside.
2- Slice your vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out your beans. Add them to a mixing bowl with your creme fraiche, heavy creme and sugar. Beat this on slow for a few minutes and then increasing to high speed until your creme is thick and stiff (see photos below.) Set aside. Honestly, skip the vanilla if you aren’t feeling it. It won’t make or break this. I’m a sucker for the black seeds showing up in the cream.
3- De-stem your strawberries and cut them up into small-medium sized cubes and put into a bowl. Save at least 10 whole strawberries for the top of the Charlotte.
4- Now you are ready to assemble. Start by dipping your ladyfingers in your syrup one by one and lining the bottom of your cake pan. You want your ladyfingers to be soaked through but not soaking. I do about 1.5 seconds on each side. I know… precise!
5- Once you have the first layer of ladyfingers, add half of your cream and mindfully spread it out. You don’t want to tear up your soaked ladyfingers.
6- Add in your layer of cut up strawberries, make sure to get them all in!
7- Do a final layer of soaked lady fingers. If you run out of syrup, you’ll have to make some more. This will be dependent on how long or shortly you soak your fingers.
8- Add on your remaining cream and mindfully spread it out to cover each corner. Cut the remaining 10 strawberries in lengthwise in half and lay them on your cake. I use these are serving size markers, one strawberry per serving size. You may also save this step for the following day when you actually serve it.
9- Use toothpicks as little towers on each corner of the Charlotte and a 4-6 in the center to hold the saran wrap above the cream. Allow to set in the fridge overnight. Pull it out about 30 minutes before serving.
*please see photos below for more detailed instructions and tips.
Step 1
Gather all your ingredients. Ladyfingers, creme fraiche, heavy cream, vanilla bean, vine peach liquor, orange blossom water, water and sugar.
Choose a shallow bowl that will be good for dipping your ladyfingers. Add your Vine peach liquor, orange blossom water and water. (if you are using the traditional syrup recipe, add strawberry syrup, rum, water and orange blossom water.)
Scrape your vanilla bean seeds out with a knife after slicing it lengthwise down the side.
You'll want your cream to look like this when well beaten.
Look closely to see the vanilla bean seeds!
Practice not cutting too much of the strawberry top. Focus on getting just the stems!
To get my strawberries to this size I cut them in half lengthwise and into 4-6 cubes on each half.
I have never gotten an exactly perfect layout! I always have to break up some fingers to make the puzzle fit.
This is actually the second layer of cream but here is to show you laying out four large dollops makes it easier to spread
You should have a nice plump layer of strawberries. Use them all except for the ones you reserve for the top!
Start your second layer of soaked ladyfingers. These will fit much easier than the first layer.
Here you can see the layers with some juices starting to get to know each other. Tomorrow it will be perfect!
I cut my reserved whole strawberries in half lengthwise and use them as slice markers. One per slice, 4 across and 5 down. 20 slices total on my cake. Add your toothpicks in for the saran wrap.
Be mindful in putting on your saran wrap so that it doesn't touch your cream. Pop her inthe fridge for an overnight set. Voila! Enjoy!
