Equipment
Ingredients
Savoiardi Biscuits
- 120 g egg whites, room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar
- 80 g egg yolks, room temperature
- 100 g plain flour, sifted
- 30 g icing sugar, for dusting
Passion Fruit Bavarois
- 250 g passion fruit puree, seedless
- 100 ml whole milk
- 60 g egg yolks
- 80 g caster sugar
- 8 g gelatin sheets, bloomed in ice water
- 250 ml heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Lime Jelly
- 100 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed and strained
- 50 ml water
- 50 g caster sugar
- 4 g gelatin sheets, bloomed in ice water
Garnish
- 100 g fresh mango, finely diced
- 50 g fresh passion fruit pulp, with seeds
- 2 g lime zest
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 387 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 41 g
- Sodium
- 55 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 226 mg
- Potassium
- 249 mg
- Calcium
- 67 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 18 mg
- Phosphorus
- 125 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 223 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.31 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 41 mcg
- Water
- 112 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F. Line two heavy baking trays with parchment paper. Draw a 18cm circle on one, and two 30cm by 7cm long bands on the other to act as piping guides.
In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually shower in the caster sugar while continuing to whip until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Gently fold the lightly beaten egg yolks into the meringue using a silicone spatula. Once partially incorporated, carefully fold in the sifted flour in two batches until no streaks remain. Do not overmix.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm round nozzle. Pipe the 18cm base circle, spiraling outward. For the bands, pipe vertical fingers touching each other along the 30cm guides to form a continuous ribbon.
Generously dust the piped sponge with icing sugar. Wait two minutes, then dust again. Bake at 190°C/375°F for 10-12 minutes until light golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Line the inside of your 20cm Charlotte mold or cake ring with parchment or acetate. Trim the flat bottom edge of the sponge bands and place them snugly against the inner wall, sugared side facing out. Place the 18cm sponge circle inside to form the base.
Prepare the bavarois base. In a saucepan, heat the passion fruit puree and whole milk to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale.
Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in half of the hot liquid. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture reaches 82°C/180°F.
Remove the custard from the heat immediately and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Squeeze excess water from the 8g bloomed gelatin and stir it into the hot custard until completely dissolved. Let cool to 30°C/86°F.
Once the passion fruit base is cool but not set, gently fold in the soft-whipped heavy cream in three additions to maintain an airy texture.
Pour the passion fruit bavarois into the savoiardi-lined mold, leaving about 1cm of space at the top for the jelly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set completely.
For the lime jelly, gently heat the water, strained lime juice, and caster sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in the 4g bloomed gelatin until dissolved, and let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.
Carefully pour the cooled lime jelly over the set bavarois layer. Return the charlotte to the refrigerator to chill for an additional 2 hours or overnight.
Carefully remove the mold and acetate strip. Garnish the top of the set jelly with diced fresh mango, fresh passion fruit pulp, and freshly grated lime zest right before serving.
Chef's Notes
- When piping the savoiardi sponge band, it is crucial that the fingers touch each other. As they bake, they will expand slightly and fuse into a continuous ribbon, ensuring a leak-proof wall for your bavarois.
- The double-dusting of icing sugar on the raw savoiardi batter is non-negotiable. The first dusting absorbs into the batter, while the second creates the iconic crisp pearl shell that provides structural integrity.
- Patience is key with the bavarois temperature. If you fold the whipped cream into the passion fruit base while it is warmer than 30 degrees Celsius, the fat in the cream will melt, destroying the airy texture. If it drops too cold, the gelatin will set and the mixture will become lumpy.
- For the cleanest visual lines, ensure your lime juice is freshly squeezed and double-strained through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove pulp before making the jelly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Keep covered or in a cake dome to prevent the biscuit from absorbing fridge odors and becoming too soggy.
Troubleshooting
Savoiardi sponge deflates during mixing
Cause: Overmixing when folding the flour, or egg whites were not whipped to stiff enough peaks.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once deflated. Bake it as a thin, dense cake base and try piping a new batch if presentation is critical.
Prevention: Whip egg whites to firm peaks and fold flour very gently with a silicone spatula, cutting through the center and sweeping around the bowl.
Bavarois mixture is grainy or looks curdled
Cause: The custard base was heated past 82 degrees Celsius, causing the egg yolks to scramble.
Fix: If caught early, immediately pass through a fine sieve and blend briefly with an immersion blender. If heavily scrambled, it cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Always use a digital thermometer and cook over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent hot spots.
Lime jelly leaks down the sides of the charlotte
Cause: The bavarois was not fully set before pouring, or there was a gap between the savoiardi band and the bavarois.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Serve as is, ensuring the taste remains uncompromised.
Prevention: Ensure bavarois is firmly set, and pipe the savoiardi band so the fingers touch to form a solid, unbroken wall.
Cultural Context
The Charlotte russe was invented by renowned French chef Marie-Antoine Careme in the early 19th century, traditionally featuring a mold lined with ladyfingers and filled with Bavarian cream. This modern tropical iteration substitutes the classic vanilla and raspberry profiles with vibrant passion fruit and lime, marrying classical French architectural pastry techniques with bright, exotic flavors.
