Red Fruit Charlotte & Vanilla Bavarian Cream

An icon of French pastry, the charlotte enchants with its elegance and freshness. Here, it is adorned with tangy red fruits, softened by a Bourbon vanilla Bavarian cream, for a perfect balance between fruity intensity and vanilla creaminess.

Ingredients for homemade sponge fingers (biscuit cuillère)

  • 3 eggs (yolks and whites separated)

  • 90 g sugar

  • 1 sachet of vanilla sugar

  • 90 g flour (T55)

  • Icing sugar (for dusting)
     

Ingredients for red fruit confit

  • 250 g red fruit purée

  • 40 g sugar

  • 3 g gelatin (2.5 sheets)

Ingredients for vanilla Bavarian cream

  • 250 ml whole milk

  • 3 egg yolks

  • 60 g sugar

  • 1.5 g Bourbon vanilla core

  • 4 g gelatin (2 sheets)

  • 250 ml cold heavy cream (30–35% fat)

Finishing and decoration

  • Fresh red fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries…)

  • Icing sugar

  • Natural vanilla powder
     

Preparation steps

 

1. Sponge fingers

  • Preheat oven to 180°C.

  • Whip egg whites until stiff, gradually adding sugar.

  • Incorporate yolks one by one, then sifted flour with a spatula.

  • Pipe 8–10 cm sticks and a disc the diameter of your ring.

  • Dust with icing sugar and vanilla powder, rest 5 min, dust again.

  • Bake 10–12 min until lightly colored. Cool.
     

2. Red fruit confit (prepare the day before)

  • Hydrate gelatin in cold water.

  • Heat purée with sugar (50–60°C).

  • Off heat, add drained gelatin. Mix well.

  • Pour into an insert mold (Ø 14–16 cm). Freeze at least 3 h.
     

3. Vanilla Bavarian cream

  • Hydrate gelatin.

  • Heat milk with vanilla.

  • Whisk yolks and sugar until pale. Pour hot milk over.

  • Return to low heat and cook to 82–84°C (nappe consistency).

  • Off heat, add gelatin. Let cool slightly.

  • Whip cream to soft peaks and fold in gently in three additions.
     

4. Assembly of the charlotte

  • Line an 18–20 cm ring with acetate.

  • Place sponge fingers upright around the ring, rounded side out.

  • Place the sponge disc at the bottom.

  • Add a layer of Bavarian cream.

  • Place the red fruit insert in the center.

  • Cover with more cream and smooth with a spatula.

  • Finish with a second sponge disc or smooth surface.

  • Refrigerate at least 6 h, ideally overnight.