1 Prepare the syrup to soak the biscuits: boil for 2 minutes (no more) 40 grams of sugar in 5 tbsp of water and let cool. Add 1.4 oz (40 g) of strawberries that have been well crushed and passed through a sieve (with their juice) and 2 tbsp of strawberry liqueur or cream or red fruit liqueur (you can replace the strawberry pulp with strawberry coulis). Stir and set aside at room temperature in a small dish where you can then dip the biscuits flat.
2 Wash, dry, and hull the strawberries and cut them in half according to their size. Keep a few whole for final decoration.
3 Prepare a vanilla cream like a custard cream (see recipe on the site), but with the following proportions: bring to a boil (with 1 tbsp of water at the bottom) 1.25 cups (30 cl) of milk with a vanilla pod that has been split and scraped to release the seeds. While the milk is heating, whisk 4 egg yolks with 2.1 oz (60 g) of sugar until pale, then incorporate the boiling milk while whisking constantly (a little first before adding the rest). Place everything gently back on the heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until it reaches coating consistency. Remove from heat. Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water, squeeze out excess water, then incorporate them one by one into the hot cream, stirring gently until dissolved (almost instantaneous). Let cool slightly, whisking occasionally.
4 Whip 1.1 cups (25 cl) of very cold liquid cream into stiff whipped cream (place the whisk and if possible the bowl in the freezer beforehand, or whip over ice) and sweeten with 1 tbsp of sugar.
5 Combine the vanilla cream (when it is almost cold but still pliable after being well homogenized with a hand whisk) and the whipped cream in two stages: first add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the vanilla cream (not the other way around) very gently with a hand whisk, then fold in the rest using a spatula with a cutting motion.
6 Line the mold with biscuits, starting with the vertical wall (domed sides of biscuits facing outward for vertical biscuits and domed side facing up for the bottom). Soak the biscuits quickly in the syrup on both sides by dipping them rapidly (without oversaturating) flat by hand. The biscuits should touch each other without overlapping. Fill any gaps at the bottom with small biscuit pieces if needed.
7 Assembling the charlotte: place a layer of filling (mixture of the two creams prepared) in the mold, distribute whole strawberries or pieces.
This is a very technical recipe that surely comes from a real professional. It will require time and patience, but there is no doubt that success will be worth it. Serve with rosé champagne or a very chilled glass of late harvest wine.
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