Vegan Strawberry Charlotte Recipe

Start assembling: Line a high-sided mold with a diameter of 18 cm with plastic wrap. Arrange the ladyfinger biscuits around the edge of the mold (sugar side facing the mold) tightly against each other (I did not soak them to maintain their shape for presentation.) Quickly dip a few ladyfinger biscuits in strawberry syrup to soak them, place them at the bottom of the mold, and fill the gaps with broken pieces of biscuits. Set aside.

Prepare the strawberry mousse: Whip the cold cream using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, adding the powdered sugar (if the cream is not already sweetened). Start at medium speed, then gradually increase the speed and continue whipping until the cream holds its shape without being too firm (otherwise it won't combine properly later). In a small container, mix the agar-agar with a small amount of cold water (15 ml).

In a saucepan, combine the strawberry purée, sugar, and a mixture of water and agar agar, and bring to a boil for at least 1 minute (essential for activating the gelling power of agar agar). Remove from heat and pour into a container. Let it cool, and when the mixture reaches about 35°C/40°C, fold in 1/4 of the whipped cream and mix with a whisk. Then pour the mixture onto the rest of the whipped cream and gently fold in using a spatula.

Now that the strawberry mousse is ready, immediately proceed to the assembly: Pour half of the mousse into the mold, then add half of the chopped strawberries.

Add a layer of soaked cookies, pour the remaining mousse, and add the rest of the chopped strawberries. Finish with a layer of cookies (not soaked, rounded side facing the mousse) and fill in the gaps with broken pieces of cookies to create a flat surface. Cover with plastic wrap and place the mold in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before un-molding.

Now it's time for the finishing touches and decoration: Unmold the dessert onto your serving plate or onto a cardboard base. Prepare the whipped cream: whip the cold cream using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, adding the powdered sugar (if the cream is not already sweetened). Start at medium speed, then gradually increase the speed and continue whisking until the cream is firm.

To finish, transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe it around the edge of the dessert, spread the remaining cream in the center, and arrange the strawberries harmoniously. Keep the dessert in the refrigerator until serving.