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Loading...A Classic Raspberry Charlotte is a timeless French chilled dessert built around crisp ladyfingers lining a mold, filled with a silky raspberry mousse and bursts of fresh berries. The contrast between the light, vanilla-kissed cream and the bright, tangy raspberries makes this an elegant centerpiece for spring and summer tables. Serve it well-chilled with a dusting of powdered sugar for a stunning, old-world finish.
Prep Time40 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings8
Yield8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 360 kcalCalories
- 21 gFat
- 12 gSaturated Fat
- 38 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 26 gSugar
- 6 gProtein
- 55 mgSodium
- 195 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 1.5 mgIron
- 20 mgVitamin C
- 240 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For lining the mold
- 24 to 30 crisp ladyfingers (savoyardi)
- 3 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (Chambord) or seedless raspberry juice
- Softened butter, for greasing the mold
For the raspberry mousse
- 400 g (about 3 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries, plus 150 g for the filling layer
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) whole milk
- 7 g (1 envelope) unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) cold heavy whipping cream
For garnish
- 150 g (1 cup) fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting
- 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves (optional)
Directions
- Lightly butter an 8-inch (20 cm) charlotte mold or deep bowl, then line it with plastic wrap, leaving overhang on all sides. Brush one side of each ladyfinger with raspberry liqueur and arrange them vertically around the inside of the mold; line the bottom with halved ladyfingers, cut side up.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it bloom for 5 minutes. Reserve 150 g raspberries for the filling layer and set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it just begins to steam. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick, then slowly pour in the hot milk while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 5 minutes). Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved.
- Purée the 400 g raspberries in a blender and press through a fine-mesh sieve to discard the seeds. Stir the seedless purée and vanilla into the warm custard, then refrigerate for about 20 minutes until cooled but not yet set.
- In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled raspberry custard in three additions until smooth, light, and evenly colored.
- Spoon half of the raspberry mousse into the prepared mold. Scatter the reserved fresh raspberries evenly over the mousse, then top with the remaining mousse and smooth the surface. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until firmly set.
- To serve, invert the charlotte onto a chilled serving plate and carefully peel off the plastic wrap. Pile the fresh raspberries on top, dust with powdered sugar, and add mint leaves if desired. Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wipe between cuts for clean portions.
Cook’s Notes
- Always bloom the gelatin in cold water first and stir it into the warm custard until fully dissolved; undissolved gelatin will create unpleasant lumps in the mousse.
- The custard must be cooled to room temperature before folding in the whipped cream; folding while warm will deflate the cream and ruin the texture.
- For the cleanest unmolding, chill the charlotte overnight and briefly dip the outside of the mold in warm water (no more than 5 seconds) before inverting.
- Use very ripe, in-season raspberries for the most intense flavor; if using frozen berries, thaw and drain them well before puréeing.
- Lightly brushing the ladyfingers with Chambord adds authentic French flavor, but you can substitute orange juice or seedless raspberry juice for an alcohol-free version.
