The day before
1 Infuse your tea in hot milk for 4 minutes, then strain it to make your English cream. Once it is finished and strained, let it cool, cover it with cling film and put it in the fridge.
2 Soften your butter, then use a pastry brush to coat your charlotte mould thoroughly.
3 Cut your cat's tongues with a knife so you can arrange them in a rosette pattern at the bottom of the mould, with the flat side facing up as decoration.
4 Line the entire side of the mould with cat's tongues, flat side facing in, then put your mould in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5 Melt your chocolate in a bain-marie as quickly as possible, then add your sugar. Off the heat, whisk in your 7 oz (200 g) butter cut into small pieces, then the 4 yolks.
6 Whip your whites until very stiff, then fold in 2 large spoonfuls into your chocolate mixture. Mix well with a whisk, then add the remaining whites and fold gently with a spatula, cutting and lifting as you would for a soufflé. Put in the freezer for 5 minutes.
7 Crush your meringue roughly and tip the pieces onto a plate.
8 Take your mould out of the freezer and fill it with one third of the mousse, then half the volume of crushed meringue spread over the whole surface. Add another third of mousse, the rest of the meringue and finally the last third of mousse.
9 Cover your mould with the remaining cat's tongues, slightly pressed into the cream. Their flat sides will serve as a base when you turn out your dessert.
10 Put in the fridge overnight.
The next day
11 Just before serving, run a thin knife around your mould and dip it for 10 seconds in hot water. Turn it out onto a nice round plate, with the tea anglaise cream served separately in a sauce boat.
12 To serve, use a serrated knife and help yourself with a metal spatula. Serve each portion on a plate with a few drops of tea cream. The effect of the double crunch from the cat's tongues and meringue combined with the pronounced taste of chocolate, enhanced by the fragrance of tea, is a real success.
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