Eric Lanlard’s Summer fruits and Bonne Maman Madeleine Charlotte Cake

A light and fluffy strawberry mousse topped with fresh summer fruit, all held beautifully in place with Bonne Maman Madeleines, this delicious dessert is perfect for weekend picnics and summer parties.

Summer fruits and Bonne Maman Madeleine Charlotte cake

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 8 minutes

Set time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

For the syrup:

100ml water

100g golden caster sugar

100g strawberries

For the mousse:

300g strawberries

100g golden caster sugar

4 egg yolks

300ml whipping cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

5 gelatine leaves

Everything else:

20 Bonne Maman Madeleines

250g of mixed summer fruits

Method:

For the syrup:

– In a saucepan, mix the sugar and water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Leave to cool.

-Wash 100g of strawberries, remove the stems and liquidise in a food processor

to make a coulis.

– Pass the coulis through a fine sieve to collect all the seeds.

– When the sugar syrup is cool, mix with the coulis and put to one side.

For the mousse:

– Wash 300g strawberries and remove the stems.

– Heat the strawberries in a small saucepan with 50g of golden caster sugar

to create a puree.

– Cover the gelatine leaves with cold water in a separate bowl.

– In a separate bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with the remaining 50g of golden caster sugar.

– Pour the hot strawberry puree on to the yolk and sugar mixture and whisk continuously.

– Put the strawberry puree, yolk and sugar mixture back in to a saucepan and heat

whilst continually mixing until the puree thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

– Drain the gelatine and add it to the hot strawberry puree. Put it to one side to cool.

– Use an electric hand whisk to whip 300ml of cream in to soft peaks, adding the vanilla bean paste half way through.

– When the strawberry puree is cold, fold in the whipped cream in two stages to create

a smooth and creamy mousse.

To build the Bonne Maman Madeleine Charlotte cake:

– Line a 22cm in diameter springform tin with baking paper.

– Cut the Bonne Maman Madeleines in half length ways and line the tin with the curved sides against the wall of the tin.

– Fill the bottom of the tin with the other Bonne Maman Madeleines halves – cut them

to if need be.

– Using a pastry brush, paint the Bonne Maman Madeleines with the syrup made

at the very beginning.

– Using a ladle cover the Bonne Maman Madeleines with the mousse.

– Repeat the process – add Bonne Maman Madeleines, paint with syrup and add mousse. Make sure you leave a small gap between the layer of mousse and the top of the Bonne Maman Madeleines.

– Place the cake in the fridge to setfor at least 3 hours.

– When set, gently remove the tin and put on a serving plate or cake stand.

– Decorate with mixed summer fruits and enjoy!