Milk chocolate and passion fruit charlotte

Ingredients

• 20 gbutter, at room temperature (for the feuilletine)
• 45 gpraline paste (for the feuilletine)
• 30 gdark chocolate (for the feuilletine)
• 30 gcrêpes dentelle (for the feuilletine)
• 72 gdark chocolate (for the ganache)
• 8 gunsweetened cocoa powder (for the ganache)
• 28 gbutter, at room temperature (for the ganache)
• 80 gdouble cream, 30% fat (for the ganache)
• 2 ggelatine leaf (for the mousse)
• 3passion fruits (for the mousse)
• 1egg (for the mousse)
• 25 gbrown sugar (for the mousse)
• 150 gmilk chocolate (for the mousse)
• 250 gdouble cream, 30% fat (for the mousse)
• 125 gmascarpone (for the mousse)
• 18sponge fingers

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the feuilletine

   Prepare the feuilletine layer.

2. 2

   Melt the chocolate

   Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie.

3. 3

   Soften the butter

   Whisk the butter until it has a soft, spreadable consistency.

4. 4

   Add the praline

   Mix in the praline paste thoroughly.

5. 5

   Mix in chocolate

   Pour in the melted chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth and even.

6. 6

   Crush the wafers

   Crush the crêpes dentelle and add them to the mixture.

7. 7

   Fold gently

   Fold everything together gently with a spatula.

8. 8

   Shape the base

   Spread the mixture into your cake ring, set on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

9. 9

   Chill the base

   Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

10. 10

    Prepare the ganache

    Make the ganache.

11. 11

    Heat the cream

    Bring the cream to the boil, then take it off the heat as soon as it boils.

12. 12

    Pour over chocolate

    Pour the hot cream over the chopped dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Leave for 1–2 minutes for the chocolate to soften, then stir.

13. 13

    Add the butter

    Add the butter, cut into pieces, and mix.

14. 14

    Cover the ganache

    Cover the surface directly with cling film.

15. 15

    Prepare the mousse

    Make the mousse.

16. 16

    Soak the gelatine

    Put the gelatine leaf in cold water to soften.

17. 17

    Scoop the fruit

    Halve the passion fruits and scoop out the pulp.

18. 18

    Strain the juice

    Blend the pulp, then pass it through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and keep the juice.

19. 19

    Heat the mixture

    Put the juice, egg and brown sugar in a bowl over a bain-marie.

20. 20

    Whisk gently

    Keep the bowl over the bain-marie for 5 minutes, whisking with an electric whisk as you go.

21. 21

    Add chocolate gelatine

    Melt the milk chocolate. Stir it into the passion fruit mixture along with the squeezed-out gelatine leaf.

22. 22

    Set aside

    Mix well and set the mixture aside.

23. 23

    Whip the cream

    Once the mixture has cooled, whip the cream.

24. 24

    Add the mascarpone

    When the cream begins to thicken, add the mascarpone and continue whisking until firm.

25. 25

    Fold in cream

    Use a spatula to fold the whipped cream gently into the chocolate mixture.

26. 26

    Assemble the charlotte

    Begin assembling the charlotte.

27. 27

    Line the mould

    Cover the base and sides of the charlotte mould with cling film.

28. 28

    Arrange the biscuits

    Stand sponge fingers all around the inside of the mould.

29. 29

    Add the mousse

    Pour in the mousse, making sure it fills the space beside the biscuits. Set aside 2–3 tablespoons of mousse.

30. 30

    Add the feuilletine

    Place the feuilletine disc on top.

31. 31

    Cover the layer

    Spread the remaining mousse over the feuilletine, covering it well.

32. 32

    Finish with biscuits

    Add a final layer of sponge fingers and press down lightly.

33. 33

    Chill the charlotte

    Refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours.

34. 34

    Decorate with ganache

    Take the charlotte out of the fridge, turn it out onto a serving plate and pipe the ganache using a basket-weave nozzle.

35. 35

    Finish decorating

    Complete the decoration as you like.

What is a charlotte?

A charlotte is a chilled, moulded dessert traditionally lined with sponge fingers and filled with cream or mousse. It is associated with French patisserie, and the biscuit casing gives it its recognisable upright sides.

This version pairs sweet milk chocolate mousse with sharp passion fruit, then adds a crisp praline feuilletine layer and dark chocolate ganache. The contrast keeps each mouthful lively as well as rich.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 740 calories, 10g protein, 60g carbs, 51g fat.

The chocolate, cream, butter, praline and mascarpone contribute most of the fat, while the sponge fingers, chocolate and sugar provide much of the carbohydrate. The egg and dairy contribute some protein, but this is primarily a rich dessert rather than a protein-focused dish; balance a slice with fresh fruit or serve a modest portion after a lighter meal.

Building the feuilletine

Room-temperature butter: whisk it until soft before mixing in the praline, so the melted chocolate can blend in smoothly.

Crisp wafers: crush the crêpes dentelle and fold them through gently to keep their crunch. Spread the mixture in the cake ring and chill it for at least 1 hour so it firms into a disc.

Getting the ganache smooth

Hot cream: take it off the heat as soon as it boils, then pour it over the chopped chocolate and cocoa. Giving the chocolate 1–2 minutes to soften before stirring helps it melt evenly.

Soft butter: mix it in after the chocolate and cream have come together. Cover the surface directly with cling film, as directed, while you prepare the mousse.

Making the passion fruit mousse

Strained juice: blending and sieving the passion fruit removes the seeds while keeping its bright flavour in the mousse. Use the juice with the egg and sugar over a bain-marie for 5 minutes, whisking throughout.

Cool mixture: let the chocolate mixture cool before folding in the whipped cream, so the cream keeps its airy texture. Add the mascarpone once the cream starts to thicken, then whip until firm.

Assembling without gaps

Biscuit lining: arrange the sponge fingers around the mould, keeping them close together to form an even casing. Fill the space beside them with mousse rather than leaving air pockets.

Layer order: reserve 2–3 tablespoons of mousse, add the feuilletine disc, then cover it with the remaining mousse. Finish with sponge fingers and press down lightly to help the layers sit together.

Chilling and serving

Set time: chill the assembled charlotte for at least 2–3 hours before turning it out. A well-chilled dessert is easier to handle when moving it to a serving plate.

Final touch: pipe on the ganache with a basket-weave nozzle, then decorate as you wish. Serve chilled, cutting through the biscuit sides and crisp centre with a sharp knife.

What to serve alongside

The charlotte is rich, so small slices make a good finish to a meal. Fresh berries or extra passion fruit can echo its fruity notes without adding another heavy element.

For a fuller dessert course, serve it with plain coffee or tea. Keep any extra accompaniments simple so the contrast between chocolate, fruit and crisp feuilletine stays central.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the chocolate mixture cool before folding in the whipped cream so the mousse stays airy.
• Whisk the egg, passion fruit juice and sugar continuously over the bain-marie for the full 5 minutes.
• Make sure the feuilletine disc is chilled for at least 1 hour before assembling the charlotte.
• Fill the gaps beside the sponge fingers with mousse as you assemble, rather than leaving air spaces.
• Keep the charlotte chilled for at least 2–3 hours before turning it out.

Variations

• More fruit: Add fresh passion fruit pulp on top just before serving.
• Berry accompaniment: Serve slices with fresh berries for another fruity note.
• Different chocolate: Use a darker milk chocolate for a less sweet mousse.
• Citrus finish: Add a little finely grated orange zest to the mousse mixture.
• Simple topping: Finish with a light dusting of cocoa instead of piping the ganache.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Warm mousse mixture: Folding in cream before the chocolate mixture cools can deflate it; let it cool first.
• Unstrained passion fruit: Seeds can make the mousse gritty; blend the pulp and pass it through a fine sieve.
• Soft feuilletine: Skipping the 1-hour chill can leave the base too soft to handle; chill it before assembly.
• Gaps around the biscuits: Empty spaces weaken the lining; press mousse into the spaces as you fill the mould.
• Rushing the final chill: The charlotte may be difficult to turn out; refrigerate it for at least 2–3 hours.

How to store

Keep the charlotte covered in the fridge and eat it within 2 days. Serve chilled; avoid leaving it at room temperature for long because the mousse softens.

Frequently asked questions