Ingredients
- 1 medium flan sponge, halves horizontally
- 1kg (2lb 12oz) fresh strawberries, hulled
- 2 egg yolks
- 175g (6oz) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200ml (1/3pt) warmed semi skimmed milk
- 12 sheets gelatine, soaked
- 300ml (½ pt) double cream
- 200g (7oz) Lady fingers biscuits
- 3 tbsp apricot glaze
Method
Place 300g (10oz) strawberries in a blender, whiz until smooth then push through a sieve to remove the seeds. Transfer to a saucepan and add the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla then stir well.
Place the gelatine in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 5 minutes before draining the water and stirring through the warm the milk until dissolved. Pour into the strawberry mixture and warm over a low/medium heat until everything comes together and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Meanwhile line up the ladyfingers side by side along the inside of a 20cm (8in) round spring form tin. Trim the flan to fit snuggly in the centre of the lady fingers.
Whip the cream to soft peaks then fold through the strawberry mixture until well combined. Arrange 100g (4oz) of sliced strawberries on top then pour over half the strawberry mousse. Top with the 2nd layer of sponge cake and cover it with 100g (4oz) more strawberries and then the remaining mousse. Chill for 4 hours or overnight until set.
Arrange the remaining sliced strawberries over the top then brush with the apricot glaze.
Top Tip for making Strawberry Charlotte
This recipe can be time consuming with its different components. The cooling periods are important so get ahead by making it the day before and leaving it to set overnight
