JÜRGEN’S PEAR & CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE

A popular dessert in Germany, ‘Birne Helene’ combines chocolate and poached pears and provides the inspiration for this charlotte. Fruit charlottes are my most popular birthday cakes – this is one I created for my father-in-law.

YOU WILL NEED

23cm springform tin, greased, then base-lined with baking paper A large piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle 2 baking sheets, lined with baking paper Handson 3 hours, plus chilling

Bake 16 mins Serves 12 For the Génoise sponge

2 eggs

60gcastersugar 60gplainflour

10g unsalted butter, melted

For the sponge fingers

3 eggs, separated

Apinchofsalt

100g caster sugar

100gplainflour

1tsp orange blossom water (optional) 1tbsp icing sugar

For the chocolate bavarois

3 platinum-grade gelatine leaves 300ml whole milk

1tsp vanilla paste

4 egg yolks

150g caster sugar

100g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped 75g milk chocolate, finely chopped 300ml double cream

For the pear bavarois

5 platinum-grade gelatine leaves 200ml whole milk

1tsp vanilla paste

4 egg yolks

125g caster sugar

1tbsp pear brandy

375ml double cream

2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced

For the glaze

2 platinum-grade gelatine leaves 75g caster sugar

1tbsp pear brandy (optional) 2 pears, cored and thinly sliced

MAKE THE SPONGE Heat the oven to 180°C/ fan 160°C/gas 4. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until pale, doubled in volume and the mixture holds a firm ribbon trail. Sift in the flour and fold it in with a metal spoon. Pour the melted butter down the inside of the bowl and fold to combine. Spoon the mixture into the lined cake tin and gently spread it level. Bake on the middle shelf for about 8 minutes, until golden and the sponge springs back when pressed gently with a fingertip. Leave the sponge to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

MAKE THE SPONGE FINGERS Whisk the egg whites and salt in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk until they form firm peaks. Add 50g of the sugar and continue to whisk until the meringue is glossy and smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scoop the meringue into a clean bowl.

In the same mixer bowl (no need to wash), whisk the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until pale and doubled in volume, and the mixture holds a firm ribbon trail when you lift the whisk. Using a spoon, fold one-third of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Sift in the flour, add the orange blossom water, if using, and fold until nearly combined. Fold in the remaining meringue.

Scoop the mixture into the piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle and pipe 7cm-long biscuits onto the lined baking sheets. Dust with icing sugar and bake for 8 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool on the baking sheets.

START THE CHOCOLATE BAVAROIS

Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, until soft. Heat the milk with the vanilla over a medium heat until just boiling. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until combined. Pour half the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking until smooth. Return this to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring, until the custard thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Strain into a clean bowl, add the drained gelatine leaves and both types of chocolate and whisk until smooth. Leave the chocolate custard to cool to room temperature and it just starts to thicken.

PREPARE THE TIN While the custard is cooling, remove the cooled sponge from the springform tin and set aside. Lightly oil the inside of the tin and line it with a strip of baking paper or acetate. Cut the Génoise into a 21cm disc and lay this in the bottom of the tin. Cut the sponge fingers to the same height as the depth of the tin and arrange them, cutside down and rounded side facing outwards, around the inside wall of the tin, packing them tightly side by side so the filling can’t escape.

FINISH THE CHOCOLATE BAVAROIS

Whip the cream for the chocolate bavarois to soft peaks and, half at a time, fold it into the cooled chocolate custard. Pour into the prepared tin in an even layer and chill it for about 1 hour, until nearly set.

MAKE THE PEAR BAVAROIS While the chocolate bavarois is setting, soak the gelatine for the pear bavarois in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile, heat the milk with the vanilla over a medium heat until just boiling. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until combined. Pour all the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the custard into a clean bowl, add the pear brandy and the drained gelatine and whisk until smooth. Leave until cold and thickened.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and, half at a time, fold into the cold custard. Pour half the custard into the tin, scatter with the diced pears and pour over the remaining custard. Chill for 1 hour.

MAKE THE GLAZE Soak the gelatine in a bowl of water for 5 minutes, until soft. Pour 125ml of water into a small pan, add the sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pear brandy, if using, and stir in the drained gelatine leaves until they melt. Cool to room temperature.

FINISH AND SET Arrange the pears on top of the chilled charlotte, then carefully spoon the glaze over the top to cover. Chill until set, then serve in slices.