4 h 30 min

Charlotte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Charlotte)

Name: Charlotte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Charlotte)
Prep time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2.50 cups Sugar; 2.50 fl oz Water; 10.60 oz Fromage blanc; 5.00 fl oz (minimum 30% fat), well chilled French whipping cream; 1.70 oz Icing sugar; 1.00 tbsp (or 3 gelatin sheets) Instant gelatin; 1.00 pod Tahitian Vanilla; 3.00 cups (sliced strawberries) Nîmes Strawberries PGI; x 20.00 Ladyfingers (biscuits à la cuillère)

By Géraldine Leverd, Food Blogger

Charlotte aux Fraises is a classic French strawberry dessert made with ladyfingers, a light creamy filling and fresh strawberries. Elegant, refreshing and easy to prepare ahead, this iconic French dessert is perfect for spring gatherings, Easter celebrations and special occasions.

Charlotte aux Fraises is a timeless French dessert that combines elegance with simplicity. Made with ladyfingers (known in France as biscuits à la cuillère or boudoirs), a light creamy filling and fresh strawberries, this beautiful no-bake cake is assembled in a mould and chilled until perfectly set. The origins of the charlotte remain somewhat uncertain: it is often said to have been created in honour of Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of England. The version we know today, lined with ladyfinger biscuits rather than bread, was refined and popularised by French chef Antonin Carême, who transformed it into a classic of French pâtisserie. In France, Charlotte aux Fraises is especially loved in spring and early summer, when strawberries are at their peak, and is often served for family lunches, garden parties or festive occasions such as Easter.

The success of a good French strawberry charlotte depends above all on the quality of the fruit. France offers a wonderful variety of strawberries, from the sweet and fragrant Gariguette to the juicy Ciflorette, the rounder Cléry, and the more intensely flavoured Mara des Bois, known for its delicate wild strawberry notes. This recipe highlights Nîmes Strawberries PGI, prized for their bright flavour, sweetness and beautiful colour.

In this version, we’re making individual Charlotte aux Fraises, giving this classic French dessert a refined, modern presentation while making it especially easy to serve. These mini charlottes can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and kept chilled until serving. To assemble them neatly, you will need 6 pastry rings (10 cm diameter) and 6 pastry boards (11 cm diameter).

Preparation time

4 h 30 min

Ingredients For

For the syrup
Sugar 2.50 cups
Water 2.50 fl oz
For the mousse
Fromage blanc 10.60 oz
French whipping cream 5 fl oz (minimum 30% fat), well chilled
Icing sugar 1.70 oz
Instant gelatin 1 tbsp (or 3 gelatin sheets)
Sauces & condiments

Tahitian Vanilla

1 pod See the article
For the charlottes
Nîmes Strawberries PGI

3 cups (sliced strawberries) See the article
Ladyfingers (biscuits à la cuillère) x 20

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Preparation

Prepare the syrup: Pour the water and sugar into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.

Prepare the filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the fromage blanc, icing sugar, vanilla seeds and the instant gelatin until smooth.

If using gelatin sheets, soak them in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes until softened. Warm 3 tablespoons of the fromage blanc mixture gently, making sure it does not exceed 104°F. Squeeze the gelatin sheets to remove excess water and stir them into the warmed mixture until dissolved, then whisk it back into the main bowl.

Whip the French whipping cream into soft peaks. Gently fold it into the fromage blanc mixture using a spatula, taking care not to knock out too much air.

Wash, hull and cut the strawberries into pieces, keeping a few of the prettiest ones aside for decoration.

Cut the ladyfingers in half if needed to fit the moulds. Lightly dip them in the cooled syrup, then arrange them upright around the inside of each pastry ring, rounded side facing outwards. Line the base with more syrup-soaked biscuit pieces. Add a layer of mousse, then a layer of fresh strawberries, and finish with the remaining mousse. Smooth the tops.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until fully set.

Carefully remove the pastry rings by gently sliding them upwards. Decorate the tops with the reserved fresh strawberries and serve well chilled.

Pair with

Charlotte aux Fraises pairs beautifully with a glass of Crémant de Loire, Crémant d’Alsace or a lightly chilled rosé sparkling wine, whose freshness and fine bubbles complement the sweetness of the strawberries and the lightness of the mousse.