RECIPES
Basia
Hi there! I know I've been dragging my feet with new posts again lately, but I think my vacation made me really lazy. On top of that, my older child officially started school, and I'm bursting with pride at how bravely she got through the whole event. Gabriela, by the way, stayed with Louisa the entire time and cheered her on. Time flies so fast. Before I know it they'll be out of the house and it'll be just me and my husband, probably with the cats and the dog to keep us company :)
Since it was the start of school, we had guests over, which meant a good excuse to bake a cake. So a summer charlotte it was, partly because it's summer, and partly because there are loads of beautiful, very prickly blackberry bushes growing around here, and their fruit practically begs to be picked and used.
Summer charlotte
The cake is very good and delicate, and pretty to look at, too, though it would be even better if I had put a little more effort into the ladyfingers (unfortunately I mixed up the ingredients and mine didn't turn out quite right). I recommend it not only for special occasions, especially since making this cake isn't difficult. If you bake the ladyfingers a day or even two ahead, or use store-bought ones, a summer charlotte comes together really quickly with very little work.
Directions - Summer Charlotte:
Ladyfingers:
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Cream the yolks with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and keep beating until the mixture is stiff. Slowly add the beaten yolks, and finally fold in the flour.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can draw lines on it so the ladyfingers come out the same size. Using a piping bag, pipe the base of the cake (mine was about 22-24 cm in diameter) and long ladyfingers as tall as your springform pan. Remember, though, that the ladyfingers will spread in every direction as they bake. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until nicely golden. Take them out of the oven, let them cool, and remove them from the baking sheet.
Line the springform pan with parchment paper. Place the cake base on the bottom and stand the ladyfingers up all around the edge.
Preparing the fruit mixture:
Puree the blackberries in a blender and press the puree through a sieve to get rid of the seeds. Put the puree in a small saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a boil for a moment. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, soak the gelatin in cold water, and once it's soft, squeeze it out and stir it thoroughly into the fruit. Let it cool almost completely.
Beat the cream until stiff, add the Philadelphia and mix. When the fruit sauce has cooled, slowly add it to the cream, mixing thoroughly but gently. If the mixture is on the thick side, you can pour it into the pan. If it's too runny, just put it in the refrigerator for a while. Put the cake in the refrigerator so the mixture can set.
Prepare the raspberry mixture the same way and pour it over the top of the blackberry layer. Chill until both layers have set, decorate with fresh fruit and serve.
Enjoy!
