Chocolate Charlotte

Treat yourself to our decadent chocolate charlotte, featuring Delizza Belgian Mini Eclairs in place of ladyfingers and layered with ombre mousse. It’s a stunning, no-bake dessert that’ll satisfy any dessert lover.

Recipe created by Delizza

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Ingredients

    For the chocolate mousse filling

  • 3 tablespoons / 40 grams water
  • 2 (14-gram) packs gelatin
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup / 55 grams sugar
  • 1 (100-gram) bar dark chocolate
  • 1 (100-gram) bar white chocolate
  • 1 (260-gram) pack frozen whipped cream

    For the topping

  • Whipping cream (homemade or store-bought whipped cream)

    Equipment

  • 8-inch cake pan
  • Parchment paper
  • 8-inch cardboard cake round
  • Microwave
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Double boiler
Directions

Preparing the pan

  1. Take a 16-inch piece of parchment paper and fold it twice lengthwise to create a 16-inch strip of parchment paper.

  2. Place the strip of parchment paper into the cake pan.

  3. Position an 8-inch cake board over the parchment strip inside the cake pan. If necessary, trim the cake board to fit within the pan. This will serve as the base of your charlotte.

  4. Use 8 frozen Delizza Belgian Mini Eclairs to create the base of the charlotte. Place 2 eclairs in the center of the pan, forming a small ring of 6 to 8 eclairs around the central pair.

  5. Line the inside wall of the cake pan with about 15 frozen eclairs, positioning the chocolate side of the eclairs toward the outside of the pan.

  6. Add more eclairs if needed to fill any open spaces.

  7. Place the eclair-filled cake pan in the freezer.

Mousse base filling

  1. Remove the frozen whipped cream from the freezer and allow it to thaw slightly.

  2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin and water. Set it aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.

  3. In a metal mixing bowl, combine the egg, egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until all the ingredients have been incorporated and the mixture has lightened.

  4. Microwave the gelatin in 15-second increments until it becomes liquid.

  5. Over a double boiler, heat the egg mixture to 160 degrees. While heating, continue to mix to prevent overcooking the eggs.

  6. Return the egg mixture to the stand mixer and slowly whisk in the liquid gelatin.

  7. Break the dark chocolate bar into small pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the dark chocolate in 20-second increments, stirring between heating.

  8. Repeat the heating and melting process for the white chocolate.

  9. Divide the mousse base in half into two separate bowls.

  10. Whisk the melted dark chocolate into one of the egg and gelatin mixtures.

  11. Repeat and whisk the melted white chocolate into the other half of the egg and gelatin mixture.

  12. Mix the whipped cream to break up any large clumps. If the whipped cream has deflated, whisk it until soft peaks re-form.

  13. Divide the whipped cream in half and carefully fold it into the chocolate and egg mixtures in 2 to 3 parts. Mix until the whipped cream is fully incorporated.

Assembly

  1. Carefully pour ¾ of the dark chocolate mousse filling into the eclair-filled cake pan.

  2. Mix ¼ of the white chocolate mixture into the remaining dark chocolate mixture. Pour over the dark chocolate mousse.

  3. Pour the remaining white chocolate mixture over the mixed mousse filling.

  4. Cover the cake pan and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to let it set.

  5. Top the charlotte with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

  6. Holding the parchment paper, remove the set charlotte from the cake pan.

  7. Remove the parchment paper and enjoy.