Spring Charlotte recipe, strawberry and rhubarb, cream cheese mousse.

Strawberry rhubarb compote: Peel the rhubarb, cut it into small cubes, and cook over medium heat in a saucepan with a spoonful of lemon juice. Add the strawberry puree and cook over medium heat until the rhubarb breaks down. Bring to a boil and sprinkle in the sugar and pectin mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes and add the fresh strawberries and rhubarb, then set aside.

Japanese biscuit: Preheat the oven to 170°C. Bring the milk to a boil with the butter; when the butter is completely melted, remove from heat and add the flour all at once, mixing vigorously with a spatula. Return to heat and dry out over high heat, stirring constantly until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers. Pour into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or into a mixing bowl with a spatula, and mix on medium speed to warm the dough. Gradually add the eggs and egg yolks; once the mixture is homogeneous, add the milk and about 0.1g of water-soluble red coloring. Whip the egg whites with lemon juice, gradually adding the sugar. Gently fold the egg whites into the previous mixture in several batches using a spatula. Using a palette knife, spread the biscuit mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to a thickness of about 1 cm. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Crispy layer: In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and add the finely chopped herb leaves. Once the chocolate is melted, add the crispy flakes and mix using a spatula to coat each piece with chocolate.

Bavarian cream: Prepare the custard with gelatin: In a large bowl of cold water, soak the gelatin sheets to soften. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil with the herb leaves, then remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the herb leaves, bring back to a boil, and at the same time, in a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. Pour the milk over the egg and sugar mixture, mixing immediately after. Return to the heat and cook until it coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it reaches 85°C or until it coats the spoon, do not allow to boil. Once the custard is ready, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the drained gelatin sheets, set aside.

The bavarois mixture: Whip the liquid cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. When the custard has cooled and is barely warm, add the cream cheese and mix with a spatula until the mixture is smooth. Continue by gently folding in the whipped cream in several additions, then add the finely chopped lemon balm and the diced strawberries.

Assembly: Line a 20 cm diameter ring with acetate. Cut and delicately line the ring with Japanese sponge. Prepare the crunchy feuilletine and spread it in the center of the sponge at the bottom of the mold. Cover the crunchy layer with a disk of Japanese sponge and press down well to adhere. Pour a small layer of white cheese bavarois, then add half of the strawberry rhubarb compote. If desired, add a disk of Japanese sponge or scraps from it. I didn’t add any, but it wouldn't hurt to include some. Cover with bavarois, then the rest of the compote, and finally finish with the bavarois up to the top. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before unmolding.

To finish, decorate with strawberries and diced rhubarb, and don’t forget the neutral glaze to make it shine and keep the fruit from drying out. Find more tips for this recipe and step-by-step images on the blog.