Cherry Charlotte Cake with Mascarpone Mousse

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Cherries are one of my favorite summer fruit. They are the most beautiful and delicious berries, and if I start eating a basket, it’s almost impossible for me to stop until the box is empty.

This cherry charlotte cake combines my beloved cherries with mascarpone mousse and homemade ladyfingers, and it’s festive, tasty and will make everyone say “WOW” once you serve it.

Cherry Charlotte Cake with Mascarpone Mousse

Photo: Natalie Levin 



Cherry Charlotte Cake with Mascarpone Mousse

For the ladyfingers:

  • 4 large eggs
  • Pinch of salt
  • 70 grams sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 60 grams sugar powder
  • 100 grams all-purpose flour
  • Sugar powder for dusting

For mascarpone mousse:

  • 4 grams gelatin powder
  • 20 ml. water
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 100 grams sugar
  • 60 ml. milk
  • 250 grams mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
  • 250 ml. cold heavy cream

For the whipped cream:

  • 250 ml. heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp. sugar powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 150-200 grams fresh cherries

Ladyfingers:

  1. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
  2. Line an oven pan with baking paper and mark one 22 cm. turn over the baking paper so that the marks won’t touch the batter.
  3. On a separate baking paper mark along the width of the page strips of 6 cm high (a total of 3 tracks on one cookie sheet, with about 2-3 cm margin between strips). Turn over the paper so that the marks won’t touch the batter. Place the baking paper on an oven tray.
  4. Ladyfingers: Separate the eggs and put the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer with a whipping-attachment.
  5. Beat egg whites and salt at high speed for 2-3 minutes until white foam begins to form.
  6. Gradually add the sugar, until stiff.
  7. In a separate bowl, whip egg yolks, vanilla and powdered sugar on high speed until you get an airy and bright cream.
  8. Add the whipped egg whites into the whipped egg yolk and fold gently until almost blended.
  9. Add the flour and continue to gently fold just until completely uniform.
  10. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with 1 cm round piping tip.
  11. Pipe a 22 cm circle on the baking paper marked.
  12. Pipe “Fences” of ladyfingers within the marked tracks.
  13. Sprinkle powdered sugar generously on the base and tracks and bake for 10-12 minutes until the set and golden.
  14. Cool completely and separate from baking paper using a long palate knife.
  15. Place the base on the bottom of the pan.
  16. Arrange the “fences” in the outline of the pan (cut off the excess as needed).

Mascarpone Mousse:

  1. In a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  2. In a heat-proof bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and milk.
  3. Cook the egg mixture over double-boiler, while whisking vigorously, until the mixture is airy and somewhat brighter.
  4. Dissolve the gelatin in the microwave and add to the mixture. Strain and add in the cheese. Beat until blended.
  5. In a mixer bowl bowl, whip cream until stable.
  6. Fold the cream into cheese mixture gently until you get a uniform mousse.
  7. Pour the mousse into the pan.
  8. Cool in the freezer for 4-5 hours or until completely frozen.
  9. Extract the cake from the pan.

Whipped cream:

  1. In a bowl of mixer whip cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until you get a very stable whipped cream.
  2. Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with 1 cm round piping tip and pipe small mounds of cream on top of the mousse.
  3. Arrange fresh cherries on top and serve.
  • Keep the charlotte cake in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days, but it’s at its best a day or two after preparation.
  • You can use strawberries or raspberries instead of cherries.
  • Want to cut preparation time? Prepare the cake with store-bought ladyfingers, and arrange in the bottom and sides of the pan.

Cherry Charlotte Cake with Mascarpone Mousse

Photo: Natalie Levin