Pear Charlotte cake, or Charlotte aux poires, is a delicious French dessert filled with rich vanilla Bavarian cream and juicy pears. Perfect for any occasion or just a sweet treat after dinner, it is worth every bite.
French Charlotte cake is the timeless beauty of the classic French pastry, also known as Charlotte Russe. It is believed to have been invented by the legendary French chef Marie-Antoine Carême.
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Treat yourself to the delightful taste and texture of pear Charlotte mousse cake, where simplicity meets sophistication. It is even better than what you will find in Paris.
Pear Charlotte cake recipe
- Pear Charlotte cake represents a classic French dessert, a must-make for a French cuisine lover.
- The recipe is straightforward, with a great option to master three pastries in a single recipe: ladyfinger sponge, creme Anglaise, and Bavarian cream.
- The dessert doesn't require any decorating skills. Isn't it great?
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Savoiardi ladyfingers or spoon biscuits: For the best results, opt for store-bought or homemade spoon biscuits that are softer than classic ladyfingers used to make Italian Tiramisu.
- Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks while the eggs are chilled. Use an egg separator to facilitate this step. Then bring both egg whites and yolks to room temperature.
- Sugar: Make sure to read the recipe and note what kind of sugar is used at each step. To make the sponge, it is preferable to use superfine caster or baker's sugar. To make granulated sugar superfine, process it in a food processor a few times.
- Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
- Gelatin is used as a thickener for making Bavarian cream. Choose 2 ½ gelatin sheets (bloom 200) or 5 g (about 1 ½-2 teaspoons) of powdered gelatin. Note: 1 teaspoon of powdered gelatin equals 2.8 g.
- Milk: Opt for whole milk for the best results. The richer the dairy, the tastier the vanilla custard and Bavarian cream.
- Vanilla bean is authentically used for making creme Anglaise, but you can replace 1 vanilla pod with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
- Cream: Choose heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content for making good whipped cream.
- Pears halves in syrup: This Charlotte cake is filled and decorated with canned pear slices. Drain pears and reserve the syrup. Add some pear liqueur to the syrup if desired.
Recipe variations
- Consider making lady fingers and a ladyfinger sponge cake from scratch.
- Instead of using canned pears all year round, swap them out for poached or caramelized pears or other fruits currently in season.
- Decorate your Charlotte in the way you desire. Cut each half of the pear (or other fruit) into strips lengthwise and assemble them as a rose onto the cake.
How to make pear Charlotte cake
Preparing pear Charlotte cake includes a few steps: making a ladyfinger sponge, preparing Bavarian cream, and assembling the cake.
Step 1. To make ladyfinger sponge, preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Place egg whites (at room temperature) in a mixing bowl and start whisking with an electric mixer.
Step 2. Gradually add the caster sugar and beat until the meringue is stiff. Add egg yolks and whisk until incorporated (photo 1).
Step 3. Sift all-purpose flour over the bowl and gently mix using a rubber spatula, working from the bottom of the bowl (photo 2).
Step 4. Pour the batter mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use an angled spatula to spread it to a thickness of 0.4 inches (1 cm). Sprinkle generously with icing sugar.
Step 5. Bake the sponge in the middle of the oven until slightly golden brown for 15-20 minutes.
Step 6. Place an 8-inch (20 cm) cake ring 2 inches (5 cm) high on the serving platter. There is no need to line it with an acetate collar.
Step 7. Cut ladyfinger cookies at the base to be 2.2 inches (5.5 cm) high using a serrated knife. Then place cookies inside the ring, the sugared side against the circle (photo 3).
Step 8. Cut out a disc of the sponge about 7 inches (17 cm) in diameter (check if it fits at the bottom of the cake ring surrounded with cookies) and place it, powdered side facing up, inside the ring (photo 4).
Pro tip: Make sure the sponge disk is placed tight; otherwise, Bavarian cream will escape. You may need to press the sponge with your hands toward the ladyfingers.
Step 9. To make Bavarian cream, first, make creme Anglaise (aka vanilla custard). Soak gelatine sheets in a large bowl with very cold water. In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and icing sugar with a hand whisk.
Pro tip: Consult the recipe for Bavarian cream for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 10. Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and add scraped vanilla seeds. Bring the milk over medium heat to a boil.
Step 11. Pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture gradually, stirring constantly. Then return the eggs and milk mixture back to the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon.
Step 12. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and reaches a temperature of 180°F (82°C). Don't exceed a temperature of 185°F (85°C); otherwise, the eggs will coagulate, making the custard lumpy.
Step 13. Remove the pot from the heat, add the well-drained gelatin to the hot custard, and mix well.
Step 14. Transfer it to a clean bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap in contact to prevent skin formation on the surface of the custard. Let the custard cool at room temperature until 73-86°F (23-30°C).
Step 15. Bring the custard to the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process, but check its temperature regularly. Otherwise, the custard will set, making it impossible to finish Bavarian cream.
Pro tip: Consult the creme Anglaise for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 16. To make the whipped cream, pour cold heavy cream into the cold bowl of a stand mixer and whip the cream until soft peaks.
Pro tip: Consult the homemade whipped cream for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 17. Gently add the whipped cream to the custard with a spatula in a few additions and mix.
Step 18. To assemble the charlotte, drain canned pears on a paper towel; reserve the syrup. Cut pears into thin slices: ensure it will be enough to decorate the top of the cake. Cut the remaining pears into 1x1 cm cubes.
Step 19. With a pastry or silicone brush and pear syrup, soak the sponge cake and arrange pear cubes at a thickness of 0.4 inches (1 cm). Pour Bavarian cream over the pear filling, ensuring it doesn't leak through the ladyfingers (photo 5).
Pro tip: Refrain from pouring cream over the flattened cylinders' juncture into rounded edges to avoid cream leakage. Ladyfingers should be elevated slightly above the Charlotte filling, as it is a traditional culinary custom.
Step 20. Smooth the surface of the cream and refrigerate Charlotte for 4-6 hours. Decorate the top of the cake with pear slices (photo 6).
Step 21. To preserve fruit and bring a shiny appearance, brush pears with a clear glaze (optional step).
Expert Tips
- Cutting a sponge disk, ensure it perfectly fits inside the cake ring with ladyfinger cookies. It must sit "airtight" to prevent the Bavarian cake from escaping.
- Pass the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any possible lumps.
- Beat heavy cream until soft peaks; avoid over-whisking until firm peaks.
- Make ahead option: Bake the sponge and line the cake ring with cookies and a sponge disk the previous day. The following day, prepare the Bavarian cream and assemble the cake.
Storing and freezing
Store pear Charlotte under a glass dome in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
Can you freeze Charlotte cake? It is not recommended to freeze Charlotte with Bavarian cream. The cream contains gelatin that does not support freezing.
Recipe FAQ
Charlotte cake is traditionally made with ladyfinger biscuits and a sponge cake to line up a cylindrical mold filled with vanilla Bavarian cream and fruits.
The French version of Charlotte cake was invented by French chef Marie-Antoine Carême in 1800. He slightly modified the existing recipe by replacing the brioche with sponge fingers and adding Bavarian cream.
Charlotte cake was named after Princess Charlotte, the beloved wife of King George III and grandmother of Queen Victoria.
Love French Charlotte cakes? Try these next!
If you like this pear Charlotte cake recipe, you may love other French desserts, from the classic chocolate Charlotte to the enticing Lychee cake made with pink biscuits.
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!
PrintRecipe card
Pear Charlotte Cake
Pear Charlotte cake, or Charlotte aux poires, is a delicious French dessert filled with rich vanilla Bavarian cream and juicy pears. Perfect for any occasion or just a sweet treat after dinner, it is worth every bite.
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 20-22 Savoiardi ladyfingers
- 2 large egg whites
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50 g) caster sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
For vanilla Bavarian cream
- 5 large egg yolks (100 g)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (250 g) whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 ½ gelatin sheets 200 bloom
- 1 cup + 2 ½ tablespoons (250 g) cold heavy cream, 30% fat
For soaking:
- canned pear syrup
For garnish:
- 2 lb 9 oz. (700 g) canned pear halves in syrup
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
** If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Place egg whites (at room temperature) in a mixing bowl and start whisking with an electric mixer. Gradually add the caster sugar and beat until the meringue is stiff. Add egg yolks and whisk until incorporated.
-
Sift all-purpose flour over the bowl and gently mix using a rubber spatula, working from the bottom of the bowl. Pour the batter mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use an angled spatula to spread it to a thickness of 0.4 inches (1 cm). Sprinkle generously with icing sugar. Bake the sponge in the middle of the oven until slightly golden brown for 15-20 minutes.
-
Place an 8-inch (20 cm) cake ring 2 inches (5 cm) high on the serving platter. There is no need to line it with an acetate collar. Cut ladyfinger cookies at the base to be 2.2 inches (5.5 cm) high using a serrated knife. Then place cookies inside the ring, the sugared side against the circle.
-
Cut out a disc of the sponge about 7 inches (17 cm) in diameter (check if it fits at the bottom of the cake ring surrounded with cookies) and place it, powdered side facing up, inside the ring.
Pro tip: Make sure the sponge disk is placed tight; otherwise, Bavarian cream will escape. You may need to press the sponge with your hands toward the ladyfingers.
-
To make the Bavarian cream, first, make a vanilla custard. Soak gelatine sheets in a large bowl with very cold water. In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and icing sugar with a hand whisk. Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and add scraped vanilla seeds. Bring the milk over medium heat to a boil.
-
Pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture gradually, stirring constantly. Then return the eggs and milk mixture back to the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon.
-
The custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and reaches a temperature of 180°F (82°C). Don't exceed a temperature of 185°F (85°C); otherwise, the eggs will coagulate, making the custard lumpy.
-
Remove the pot from the heat, add the well-drained gelatin to the hot custard, and mix well. Transfer it to a clean bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap in contact to prevent skin formation on the surface of the custard. Let the custard cool at room temperature until 73-86°F (23-30°C). Bring the custard to the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process, but check its temperature regularly. Otherwise, the custard will set, making it impossible to finish Bavarian cream.
-
Pour cold heavy cream into the cold bowl of a stand mixer and whip the cream until soft peaks. Gently add the whipped cream to the custard with a spatula in a few additions and mix.
-
To assemble the cake, drain canned pears on a paper towel; reserve the syrup. Cut pears into thin slices: ensure it will be enough to decorate the top of the cake. Cut the remaining pears into 1 by 1 cm cubes.
-
With a pastry or silicone brush and pear syrup, soak the sponge cake base and arrange pear cubes at a thickness of 0.4 inches (1 cm). Pour Bavarian cream over the pear filling, ensuring it doesn't leak through the ladyfingers.
Pro tip: Refrain from pouring cream over the flattened cylinders' juncture into rounded edges to avoid cream leakage. Ladyfingers should be elevated slightly above the Charlotte filling, as it is a traditional culinary custom.
-
Smooth the surface of the cream and refrigerate Charlotte for 4-6 hours. Decorate the top of the cake with pear slices. To preserve fruit and bring a shiny appearance, brush pears with a clear glaze.
Notes
- Cutting a sponge disk, ensure it perfectly fits inside the cake ring with ladyfinger cookies. It must sit "airtight" to prevent the Bavarian cake from escaping.
- Pass the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any possible lumps.
- Beat heavy cream until soft peaks; avoid over-whisking until firm peaks.
- Make ahead option: Bake the sponge and line the cake ring with cookies and a sponge disk the previous day. The following day, prepare the Bavarian cream and assemble the cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 416
- Sugar: 36.9 g
- Sodium: 74 mg
- Fat: 18.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.8 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
- Cholesterol: 269 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was originally posted on September 25, 1918. It was revised with new recipe content and photos.
Emily says
This is one of my moms favorite cakes from the bakery and I wanted to recreate it at home for her birthday. Unfortunately, many things went wrong my sponge cake tasted a lot like eggs and turned out more dense than wanted. The custard did not turn out very well and the limited directions/pictures make it extremely difficult to recreate the pictures. I consider myself a pretty good baker, so for many things to not turn out made me disappointed and frustrated. I recommend perhaps including more pictures and directions to help people at home to recreate this the same beautiful way that it is shown in the pictures.
Irina Totterman says
Hello Emily, Thank you for your feedback and for trying the recipe! I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as you hoped, especially for your mom’s birthday. I’ll work on updating the post. Thanks again for sharing your experience!