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Chocolate Charlotte Cake (Charlotte au Chocolat)

Chocolate Charlotte on a cake stand.
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Chocolate Charlotte cake is an elegant French dessert that features silky chocolate mousse layered between delicate ladyfingers. This divine dessert is perfect for birthdays and other celebration parties.

Ingredients

Scale

For the soaking syrup: 

  • 1/3 cup (70 ml) water
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons (45 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For chocolate mousse:

  • 150 g dark chocolate, 85-90% cacao
  • 50 g egg yolks (see note #1)
  • 50 g egg whites (see note #2)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
  • 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (150 g) heavy cream

For decoration:

  • 1 oz. (30 g) dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. To make sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add vanilla extract or another flavoring, and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
  2. Place an 8-inch (20 cm) cake ring (springform pan or mousse cake mold) on a serving plate or a cake board. Cut about 20 ladyfinger biscuits at the base to be 2.8 inches (7 cm) high using a serrated knife. Place lady fingers around the edge of the cake ring, the sugared side towards the mold.
  3. Pour the cold syrup into a deep plate. Dip biscuits, one at a time, on both sides, counting to 3 to ensure that they do not oversoak. Arrange dipped cookies in the bottom of the pan, sugared side up. Try to fill the gaps between cookies, cutting them into pieces.
  4. To make chocolate mousse, chop dark chocolate by hand or in a food processor. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof large bowl and set over a bain-marie or water bath. Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, then let it cool on the counter. Alternatively, use a double boiler or a microwave to melt the chocolate in 30-second increments at 30% power.
  5. Place whole eggs with egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand whisk until frothy. At the same time, pour water with sugar into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the sugar syrup until 250°F (121°C), checking the temperature with a cooking thermometer.
  6. Pour the hot syrup over the eggs, whisking constantly, and beat until the mixture whitens, doubles in volume, and cools completely. Add the melted chocolate in 3 times and gently mix with a rubber spatula, lifting the mass until you obtain a nice homogeneous foam.
  7. Place cold heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer) and whip until soft peaks form (not stiff peaks). Pour the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream and gently mix with a spatula.
  8. To assemble Charlotte, pour half of the chocolate mousse into the prepared mold. Add a layer of dipped cookies, flat side up. Pour the remaining mousse and smooth it with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Refrigerate Charlotte for 4-6 hours, ideally overnight.
  9. Make dark chocolate shavings out of the chocolate bar using a small, sharp knife or a vegetable peeler. Remove the ring and sprinkle chocolate shavings over the mousse. Wrap the dessert with a ribbon for a pretty decorative touch.

Notes

  1. 50 g egg yolks are approximately equal to 3 raw fresh egg yolks from large-sized chicken eggs.
  2. 50 g egg whites are approximately equal to 1 1/2 raw fresh egg whites from large-sized chicken eggs.
  3. Soak ladyfinger cookies in sugar syrup briefly to retain their shape and prevent them from becoming soft. 
  4. Don't overwhip the heavy cream. It has to be flexible enough to be mixed with a chocolate-and-egg mixture.
  5. Avoid overmixing the chocolate mousse. Instead, gently work from the bottom up with a spatula.
  6. If preferred, use a piping bag filled with chocolate mousse to assemble the dessert.
  7. To cut the dessert, warm up a knife in hot water, dry it, and slice, cleaning it between each slice.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/chocolate-charlotte-cake-charlotte-au-chocolat/