Topped with fresh summer berries, served drizzled with a berry coulis and tied with a beautiful ribbon, this cheesecake twist on the classic charlotte makes an elegant dessert for a special occasion. To make an autumn charlotte you can replace the berries with drained poached pears and blackberries for equally delicious results.
FOR THE CRUMB BASE
200 g/7 oz. digestive biscuits/graham crackers
100 g/7 tablespoons butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING
250 g/generous 1 cup mascarpone cheese
300 ml/1¼ cups crème fraîche
3 tablespoons icing/confectioners’ sugar
1 vanilla pod/bean, split
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
FOR THE STRAWBERRY SAUCE
300 g/2½–3 cups strawberries
100 g/½ cup caster/white sugar
TO ASSEMBLE
200 g/7 oz. Savoiardi biscuits (sponge fingers/ladyfinger cookies)
200 g/1½–1⅔ cups blueberries
200 g/1½–1⅔ cups raspberries
400 g/3½–4 cups strawberries
an 18-cm/7-inch round springform cake pan, greased and lined
pretty ribbon, to decorate
SERVES 8
To make the crumb base, crush the biscuits/graham crackers to fine crumbs in a food processor or place in a clean plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter. Press the buttery crumbs into the base of the prepared cake pan firmly using the back of a spoon.
For the filling, whisk together the mascarpone cheese, crème fraîche, icing/confectioners’ sugar, seeds scraped out of the vanilla pod/bean (reserve the pod/bean for later) and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Spoon the mixture over the crumb base, level the top of the cheesecake and chill in the refrigerator until set, preferably overnight.
Whilst the cheesecake is chilling, prepare the strawberry sauce by simmering the strawberries, sugar and the deseeded vanilla pod/bean in a saucepan with 80 ml/⅓ cup water until the fruit is very soft and the liquid is syrupy. Pass the mixture through a sieve/strainer pressing out all the juice from the strawberries, then discard the pressed fruit. Set aside to cool.
When you are ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan by sliding a round-bladed knife around the edge of the pan to release the cheesecake, then place on a serving plate. Cut a quarter from one end of each sponge finger/ladyfinger so that that end is now flat rather than rounded, and arrange them upright and touching, in a standing ring around the sides of the cheesecake, with the rounded ends uppermost. The Savoiardi should come up at least 3 cm/1 inch above the top of the cheesecake so that they create a wall to contain the fruit. Tie the ribbon tightly around the cheesecake to hold the Savoiardi in place. Arrange the fruit on top of the cheesecake, then use a pastry brush to brush a little of the strawberry sauce over the fruit to glaze. Serve with the remaining strawberry sauce to pour over the cheesecake.
Note: Don’t be tempted to pour all of the sauce over the top of the cheesecake as it will drip down through the Savoiardi and leak onto the ribbon and serving plate. Simply decant the remaining sauce into a jug/pitcher and serve on the side.