Preparation: 10 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Servings: 6-8 people
Author: Matilde Vicenzi
Searching for a new dessert to bring to the table this Easter? Here is an original recipe that will leave everyone literally open-mouthed: a Charlotte with Vicenzovo Ladyfingers, a heart of meringue and an unexpected filling of cardamom flavoured pastry cream. An unusual, but truly scrumptious combination!
Ingredients for the cardamom light cream:
- 10.5 oz white chocolate
- 1 cup pastry cream
- 1 teaspoon gelatine
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup whipped cream
- Cardamom pods
Ingredients for the vanilla light cream:
- 1 cup pastry cream
- 1 teaspoon gelatine
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup whipped cream
- 1 vanilla pod
Ingredients for the base:
- 4 oz. Vicenzovo Ladyfingers
- 7 tablespoons water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 small glass of rum
- ready meringues
Ingredients for the chocolate nest:
- 1 cup dark chocolate
To garnish:
- Vicenzovo Ladyfingers
- Bitter chocolate
- Coloured dragées
- Whipped cream
Preparation
- Prepare the pastry cream following the basic recipe and adding crushed cardamom pods while the milk is warming up. Filter the milk and pour it on the mixture.
- Repeat the same procedure to prepare the vanilla flavoured pastry cream. Leave to cool.
- To make the two creams airier, first of all whip the cream (do not whip it to stiff peaks, but until soft). Soak the gelatine in cold water, wring it out. Put in a bowl and top 1/3 of the cardamom pastry cream with the gelatine; heat up in the microwave or baine marie until the gelatine has melted completely.
- Add the mixture to the remaining pastry cream, mix well with the whisk to prevent the formation of lumps and in the end add the soft cream. In this way, your pastry cream will be airier becoming a “bound” Chantilly thanks to the presence of gelatine. Allow to rest 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Repeat the procedure for the vanilla flavoured pastry cream.
- Assemble the dessert fastening an acetate strip inside a 7in diameter ring-shaped mould. Put the meringue on the bottom and cover it with the vanilla cream. Coarsely crumble the Vicenzovo Ladyfingers creating an even layer, douse lightly with rum syrup prepared by bringing water and sugar to the boil and adding a small glass of rum.
- Use a spatula to even the layer of cardamom cream. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
- Prepare a chocolate nest by melting the chocolate and casting it in the semi sphere silicone moulds to create a design; allow it to solidify at room temperature.
- Serve the Charlotte garnishing it with a crown of Vicenzovo Ladyfingers cut in half and decorated with chocolate, tufts of whipped cream and the nest filled with dragées.