Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Base of the Cake
- If you have a 6" springform pan, skip this step. Prepare a cake collar by lining it within a 6" cake pan and taping the ends secured. Now that the cake collar is sized, place it on a flat serving plate.
- Trim the bottoms of some ladyfingers so that they can stand upright. Set aside any trimmings to use later. Line the cake collar with ladyfingers placed vertically, like a fence. The ladyfingers should be shoulder-to-shoulder and not falling over. If needed, try to tighten the cake collar or add extra ladyfingers.
- Make the first layer of ladyfingers on the bottom of the cake. Trim as needed to fit the mold, and fill in the spaces with any leftover trimmings.
Make Matcha White Chocolate Mousse
- In a small bowl, mix together gelatin powder and 3 tbsp cream. Leave it to bloom for 10 minutes.
- In a chilled mixing bowl, add 1 cup heavy cream. Sift in the powdered sugar and culinary grade matcha.
- Whip to soft peaks. Set aside to rest on the counter.
- In another bowl, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-30 second bursts at full power, stirring between each increment. Continue this process for up to 90 seconds, stopping when the chocolate flows smoothly and has a shiny appearance.
- Allow the melted white chocolate to cool for about 5 minutes, until it is warm to the touch.
- While you wait for the chocolate to cool, heat the gelatin/cream mixture in the microwave for 5-10 seconds until the gelatin is dissolved. Let it cool until it is room temperature but still liquid.
- See Note 2. Add the gelatin/cream mix to the melted chocolate. Mix with a spatula until incorporated.
- Now, take your spatula and add one scoop of the whipped cream. Gently mix into the chocolate.
- Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream, adding 1/3 at a time. The mousse should be smooth and airy.
- Fill a piping bag with the mousse.
Charlotte Cake Assembly
- Pipe in the first layer of matcha mousse.
- Next, add a layer of ladyfingers. Trim as needed and use scraps to fill in the gaps.
- Add a layer of sliced or diced strawberries.
- Add another layer of matcha mousse.
- Add the last layer of ladyfingers.
- Finally, add the last layer of matcha mousse. Smooth out the top with a toothpick to get rid of any air bubbles and distribute the mousse evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 48 hours.
Decorate the Cake
- Remove the cake collar.
- To make a simple fruit glaze, mix together 4 parts apricot jam: 1 part water. Microwave it for 5-10 seconds to make mixing easier. Allow it to cool completely.
- Top the cake with whole or sliced strawberries. Lightly brush the fruit glaze on the strawberries to make them shiny and keep them moist.
- Decorate with gold foil and tie it with a pretty ribbon.
Video
Notes
Note 1. Since we didn't have a springform pan, which is commonly used for charlotte cakes, we improvised by using a 6-inch round cake pan, a cake collar, and tape. This setup worked surprisingly well.
Note 2. Before proceeding to Step 7 of Making Matcha White Chocolate Mousse, double-check the temperatures of our 3 components by gently touching them with your finger.
- Chocolate - fully melted and feels warm
- Gelatin/milk mix - liquid and feels room temp
- Whipped cream - cool but not super chilled