Charlotte Russe

Method

1. Line the base of a 20 cm springform or charlotte ring with baking paper. Stand the ladyfingers upright around the inside edge, sugared side out, packed close together, trimming the last one to fit if needed.
2. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes, until floppy.
3. Heat the milk with the vanilla seeds until steaming but not boiling. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl, then pour the hot milk slowly over them, whisking constantly.
4. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it coats the back of the spoon and a line drawn through it holds for a moment, about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not let it boil.
5. Take off the heat immediately. Squeeze the gelatine dry and stir it into the hot custard until fully dissolved. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so a skin does not form.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard in two additions, gently, keeping as much air in as possible.
7. Pour the Bavarian cream into the ring, right up to the top of the ladyfingers. Smooth the top and chill at least 5 hours, ideally overnight.
8. For the coulis, purée the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice together and pass through a sieve to remove the seeds. Release the ring, trim the ladyfingers level if needed, and serve each slice with the coulis alongside.

Method in the Thermomix

Written for a TM5 or TM6, 2.2 litre bowl. This covers only the custard base; assembly is the same as the hand method.

1. Insert the butterfly. Add the milk, vanilla seeds, egg yolks and sugar. Cook 8 min / 80 °C / speed 3, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon when tested. Do not exceed 85°C.
2. Remove the butterfly. Squeeze the soaked gelatine dry and add it to the hot custard. Mix 10 sec / speed 3, until dissolved.
3. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then fold in the whipped cream by hand as in the hand method.
4. For the coulis, blend the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice 20 sec / speed 8, then pass through a sieve.

Notes

• The custard must not boil. Past about 84°C the egg yolks curdle into scrambled flecks, and there is no rescuing it; pull it from the heat the instant it thickens rather than waiting.
• Cool the custard fully before folding in the cream. Warm custard deflates whipped cream on contact, and the finished charlotte ends up dense instead of light.
• This dessert is deliberately plain. The flavour comes entirely from good vanilla and a properly made custard; there is nowhere to hide a shortcut, which is exactly the point of a classic entremet like this one.
• It keeps for 2 days in the fridge, covered, though it is at its best on the day the coulis is made fresh.

Ingredient substitutions

• A vanilla pod gives the cleanest flavour; good vanilla extract, about 10 ml, is a fair substitute if a pod is not available.
• Raspberry coulis can be strawberry, made the same way, or the charlotte can be served plain with just a dusting of icing sugar.
• Ladyfingers vary in size between brands; buy slightly more than the recipe calls for so there is room to trim and fit them exactly.
• For an orange-scented version, add the zest of one orange to the milk while it heats, and strain it out before mixing with the yolks.