This week, for Easter weekend, I wanted to share something a little different. Something other than chocolate. Something lighter, fresher, more spring-like, almost refreshing. A strawberry charlotte. With all the Easter chocolate, a lighter dessert often feels just right. Airy, not too sweet, the French strawberry charlotte captures that perfectly.
Traditionally, a strawberry charlotte rests on three simple elements: ladyfingers, fresh strawberries, and a cream. The ladyfingers are often lightly soaked in syrup, sometimes flavored with kirsch or strawberry liqueur. The strawberries may be gently sugared to draw out their juices. And the cream varies, from a vanilla Bavarian cream, light and custard-based, to a mascarpone whipped cream, or whipped cream combined with strawberry purée for a fresher, more delicate result.
For this version, I wanted something especially fresh, not overly sweet, and almost weightless. Homemade ladyfingers, left unsoaked (their texture already soft and delicate). Fresh strawberries, both sliced and blended into a light purée. And a vanilla whipped cream, gently stabilized with a spoonful of mascarpone, just enough to hold the structure while keeping everything airy.
The result is a charlotte that feels light, and fresh. The strawberries remain bright, the cream delicate, and the homemade ladyfingers melt softly into each layer. One I already know I’ll make again.
Light French Strawberry Charlotte with Vanilla Cream
Ingredients
Homemade Ladyfingers
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (80 g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (80 g) all-purpose flour
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Strawberry Filling
- 1 lb (500 g) fresh strawberries
- juice of 1/2 lemon
Light Vanilla Cream
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream, very cold
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp mascarpone
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Ladyfingers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar (40 g) until pale and slightly thickened.
- In another bowl, whip the egg whites. Gradually add the remaining sugar (40 g) and beat until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the yolks. Sift in the flour and fold carefully to keep the batter airy. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Pipe 16–18 lady fingers about 3 inches long slightly spaced. They should be tall enough to slightly rise above the mold. Then pipe: one 6.5-inch (17 cm) spiral disk for the base. Dust with powdered sugar. Wait 2 minutes and dust again.
- Bake 10–12 minutes. They should remain: pales soft lightly golden underneath. Cool completely.
Step 2: Prepare the Strawberries
- Hull the strawberries. Cut about three-quarters of them into small pieces. Add lemon juice.
- Blend the remaining strawberries into a purée. Refrigerate.
Step 3: Make the Vanilla Cream
- In a cold bowl whip the heavy cream and the mascarpone. When it begins to thicken, add the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Whip until soft but stable peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 4: Assemble the Charlotte
- Place a 7-inch ring on a serving plate.
- Line the sides with ladyfingers, sugar side facing outward. Do not soak the biscuits, homemade ladyfingers are already soft. Place the sponge disk on the bottom.
- First layer: whipped cream, strawberries, spoonfuls of strawberry purée.
- Second layer: whipped cream, strawberries, strawberry purée.
- Finish with a smooth layer of cream. Gently tap to settle.
Step 5: Chill
- Refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This allows the charlotte to set naturally without gelatin.
Step 6: Serve
- Carefully remove the ring. Decorate with fresh strawberries, light dusting powdered sugar. Slice with a warm knife.
