Charlotte à l’Arlequine

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •18 cm wide, 9 cm deep straight-sided charlotte mould or springform pan
• •Four shallow 10 cm containers or silicone moulds
• •Digital scale
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Electric mixer or sturdy balloon whisk
• •Offset spatula
• •Long sharp knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the mould

   Set an 18 cm straight-sided charlotte mould or deep springform pan on its base and fit a round of parchment snugly over the bottom. Lightly brush four shallow 10 cm containers with the neutral oil and line their bases with parchment or acetate. These are the home equivalent of the original flawn rings: what matters is a shallow, even layer that releases without tearing.

2. 2

   Glaze the uprights

   Cut the sheet of Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) into 18 neat uprights, each about 3.2 cm wide and 8 cm tall. Warm the fondant gently over a bain-marie to 35 to 37°C, loosening it with only enough water to spread in a thin coat; hotter fondant dries dull instead of shining. Reserve one-third, about 100 g, covered for the top. Divide the rest among three bowls, leaving one white and tinting the others pale pink and pale green. Glaze six uprights in each colour and let them stand until the fondant no longer marks a fingertip.

   Keep the colours delicate. The pattern should recall painted confectionery, not bright children’s icing.
3. 3

   Line the charlotte

   Stand the génoise pieces tightly around the inside of the mould with their glazed faces against the wall, alternating white, pink, and green. Press each upright snugly against its neighbours so the bavarois cannot leak through. If the final space is narrow, trim one strip to fit rather than forcing the circle out of shape.

4. 4

   Cook the anglaise

   Soak the 10 g portion of gelatin in very cold water. Bring the milk just below a boil. Whisk the yolks and sugar until smooth, pour in one-third of the hot milk while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and reaching into the corners, until the crème anglaise coats the spatula and reaches 82 to 84°C. Never let it boil. If it begins to look faintly grainy, pull it from the heat at once, blend briefly, and pass it through a fine sieve. Ça se rattrape. Strain the finished anglaise, weigh it, and divide it three-fifths for the flavoured dice and two-fifths for the surrounding cream. Squeeze the 10 g gelatin dry and dissolve it in the larger, still-warm portion. Cover the smaller portion directly on its surface and refrigerate it.

5. 5

   Set four bavarois

   Divide the warm gelatin-enriched anglaise equally among four bowls. Stir the chocolate into the first until melted and glossy, the strawberry purée into the second, the pistachio paste into the third, and the apricot purée into the fourth. Cool each to 24 to 26°C. Whip half the cream, 1 cup (240 ml / 240 g), to soft peaks and fold one-quarter of it into each flavour. If a mixture begins setting before the cream is folded in, hold its bowl over barely warm water for a few seconds and stir until supple again. Spread each bavarois 1.5 to 2 cm deep in its prepared container. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or chill in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes followed by 20 minutes in the refrigerator, until firm but not frozen.

6. 6

   Cut firm dice

   Lift each flavoured bavarois slab from its container and peel away the lining. With a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, cut the slabs into large 2 cm dice. Test one cut before continuing. If the blade drags, the corners slump, or colour smears across the cut face, stop and chill the slabs for another 20 to 30 minutes. Do not work faster to compensate. Firmer bavarois is the answer, and it can still be rescued.

7. 7

   Make cream bavarois

   Soak the remaining 6 g gelatin in very cold water. Warm about one-third of the reserved plain anglaise until it feels just warm, then squeeze the gelatin dry and dissolve it in this portion. Whisk it back into the remaining anglaise and cool the mixture to 24 to 26°C. Whip the remaining cream, 1 cup (240 ml / 240 g), to soft peaks and fold it through the anglaise. Keep this ordinary cream bavarois somewhat liquid, as the source directs. If it thickens before the dice go in, set the bowl over barely warm water for a few seconds and fold gently until it flows again.

8. 8

   Fold and fill

   Add the cold strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, and apricot dice to the liquid cream bavarois in two batches. Fold with a broad spatula, lifting from underneath rather than stirring, until the colours are evenly scattered without marked edges or broken corners. Spoon the mixture into the génoise-lined mould, easing it into the perimeter first so no hollow pockets remain. Tap the mould once against a folded towel and level the surface.

9. 9

   Set the charlotte

   Cover the mould without touching the filling and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably until the centre feels firm under light pressure. Do not freeze the assembled charlotte. Freezing dulls the cream and makes the fruit bavarois shed moisture as it thaws.

10. 10

    Glaze the top

    Gently rewarm the reserved white fondant to 35 to 37°C, adding a few drops of the measured water only if it no longer flows. Spread a smooth, thin coat over the round of Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376). Arrange the candied fruit across it in a simple mosaic and leave the fondant to set for about 15 minutes.

11. 11

    Unmould and serve

    Place the chilled serving plate over the mould and invert the charlotte. Release the springform ring, or lift away a fixed mould; if it clings, press a warm, well-wrung towel against the outside for five seconds and try again. Remove the parchment from the exposed top and replace it with the glazed génoise round, candied fruit facing upward. Rest the charlotte outside the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then cut it with a hot, dry knife, wiping between slices so the harlequin dice remain distinct. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) is a finished cross-referenced component, so prepare it as a thin sheet rather than reworking its formula here. Wrap the cooled sheet well; dry génoise cracks when it is bent against the mould.
• •Use pouring or confectioner’s fondant, not rolled icing. Warm it cautiously and keep it below 37°C, because excessive heat destroys its pearly shine.
• •Weigh the gelatin. Sheet sizes vary, and the deliberate difference between 10 g for the coloured slabs and 6 g for the surrounding cream is what gives clean dice inside a softer bavarois.
• •Strawberry and apricot purées must be smooth and concentrated. Frozen purée or well-drained preserved fruit is better than tired fresh fruit, and the classical pantry has always understood that.
• •Serve the charlotte cool rather than numbing cold. Ten minutes outside the refrigerator restores the fragrance of the fruit, chocolate, and pistachio without weakening the set.

Advance Preparation

• •The Pâte à Génoise Fine (No. 2376) can be prepared one day ahead, cooled completely, and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature.
• •The four flavoured bavarois slabs can be set and cut one day ahead. Keep each colour covered separately in the refrigerator so the dice remain dry and distinct.
• •The filled charlotte can set overnight and holds well for 24 hours. Glaze the top and add the candied fruit on the day of serving so the fondant keeps its shine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 260g)