Caramel Pear Charlotte

5 stars (1 rating)

This Caramel Pear Charlotte will be the centerpiece of your holiday table! Layers of moist brown-sugar vanilla cake surround a salted caramel pear mousse, wrapped with sweet and delicate lady fingers and tied with a bow. A crown of caramel-dipped pears is the icing on this beautiful and seasonal dessert!

Prep Time1 15

Cook Time20

Chill Time:2

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cake, caramel, charlotte, ladyfingers, mousse, pear

Servings: servings

Calories: 197kcal

Ingredients

For the cake

1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon scant kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter (half a stick), softened
1 large egg
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (extract can be substituted)

For the mousse

3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon plain gelatin powder
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pear nectar
3 1/2 ounces pear puree
1/4 cup salted caramel sauce

Additionally

homemade ladyfingers
about 6 Forelle pears, dipped in caramel
satin or grosgrain ribbon for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and mist an 8-inch diameter x 3-inch deep round cake pan with non-stick spray.
Cut a circle from parchment paper, and place in the bottom of the pan.
Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed, until the mixture resembles damp sand.
Stir in the egg, until fully incorporated.
Add the yogurt, milk, and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, to aerate the batter and strengthen the cake's structure.
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool for twenty minutes, then unmold and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the mousse:

Place the water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer on top.
Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl.
In a small pot over medium heat, bring the pear nectar to a simmer.
Add the hot pear juice to the yolks, a little at a time, while whisking.
When all of the liquid has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into the pot and place over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Whisk in the gelatin mixture, and cool to room temperature.
Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks.
Fold the whipped cream, pear puree, and salted caramel into the egg mixture.
Line a clean 8-inch diameter x 3-inch deep round cake pan with plastic wrap, and place the cake round in.
Pour the pear mousse over.
Chill until firm.

To assemble the Charlotte:

Unmold the cake/mousse from the pan and place on a serving platter.
Wrap a sheet of ladyfingers around the dessert, securing with ribbon.
Top with caramel dipped pears.

Nutrition