No-Bake Chocolate Charlotte Cake Recipe

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This no-bake chocolate charlotte cake is the ultimate chocolate dessert. I tried using chocolate, in both cocoa powder form and blocks, and in all the components. The ladyfingers are covered with dark chocolate from one side and dipped in chocolate syrup. The chocolate mousse is made with melted chocolate and a delicious creme Anglaise base, so creamy and rich, and then I topped it all with a flavorful and light chocolate chantilly or whipped cream, and finally some dark chocolate shavings. If you like chocolate you’ll love this chocolate charlotte cake, and as a bonus, it is very easy to make and requires no baking.

Chocolate syrup

The ladyfingers are quite dry and very absorbent. When used in a recipe, they are usually either dipped in syrup or mixed with a cream that doesn’t have a thick consistency. For our chocolate charlotte, the ladyfinger biscuits will be dipped in the chocolate syrup and for both the flavor and texture. Alternatively, you can sue chocolate ladyfinger biscuits, but you will still need to make the syrup.

In a saucepan, add the water, sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder, mix everything together, and on high heat, cook for 5 minutes after the boiling point. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for later. If you prefer to, you can add half a teaspoon of instant coffee or half an expresso to the syrup.

Ladyfinger Biscuits, Savoiardi

For the chocolate charlotte, you can use either chocolate savoiardi or the classic one, I prefer the classic ones because they contrast nicely with the chocolate crust and bring up the chocolate flavor even more.

For the chocolate charlotte to stay nice, use a sharp knife and trim one end, I first place them around the cake ring to know how many I need exactly and how long I need them to be before I start trimming the biscuits. If you are using a 20cm cake ring you will need about 20 ladyfinger biscuits. You can make them a little bit shorter if you want them as long as the chocolate mousse. Another option, you can make them much shorter (about 2 thirds) and use a larger for a classical cake form. Save the trimmings for later.

Dark chocolate crust

For the dark chocolate outer crust, melt the chocolate either in a water bath or in a microwave in 30 seconds intervals until it’s melted and smooth.

dip the outer part of the ladyfinger biscuits and lay them on a tray. Leave the chocolate to harden and make a crust either in the fridge or at room temperature if it’s not too warm.

Chocolate Mousse

I like to use dark chocolate. If you are not a fan of it, you can mix both dark chocolate and milk chocolate, or use only milk chocolate, in that case, think of reducing the sugar from the recipe is the milk chocolate is already relatively sweeter.

Start by melting the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler or a bain-marie. I used dark chocolate for the mousse, you can use half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate. Once they are melted, remove the bowl from the hot steaming water, but don’t discard the hot water yet, you will need it for the next step.

Creme Anglaise

For the mousse we will make a thick version of a creme anglaise, this will make the chocolate mousse so creamy and rich. In a heat resistant bowl, mix the egg yolks, with the sugar, milk, and the vanilla, you can use vanilla infused sugar ir vanilla extract. I used tonka sugar instead of vanilla. If you can find it, give it a try, it is very flavorful. whisk everything to combine, then bring the bowl to the double boiler where you melted the chocolate and the butter.

Keep whisking until the cream becomes thick and has a light color. The cream should have a cream anglaise consistency. If you want to make a test, dip a spoon in the cream, run your finger, and if the two lines of cream don’t meet again, the cream is ready. Remove the bowl from the heat and keep whisking for a further 2 to 3 minutes until the cream cools down.

Add the melted chocolate and butter to the egg yolks and sugar cream slowly while whisking to combine everything. The mixture will become thick and fudgy, leave it on the side to cool.

Whipped Cream

Mix the cold whipping cream with the powdered sugar until creamy. When the chocolate cream has cooled, incorporate a small quantity of it into the whipped cream by gently folding it in. Then add all the cream into the rest of the chocolate cream. Gently fold together to combine until you have a nice mousse.

Assembly

I assemble this chocolate charlotte cake in a 20cm diameters cake ring (8inches), but you can use a cake ring that is a little smaller or bigger.

Dip the chocolate-covered ladyfinger biscuits into the syrup and place them around the cake ring with the chocolate facing outwards. Add another layer of the ladyfinger biscuits dipped into the syrup to the bottom to make a base and pour the half quantity of the chocolate mousse.

We need to make a middle layer of the ladyfinger biscuits, time to grab the trimmings we cut earlier. Cut another 3 to 4 ladyfinger biscuits, add 4 tablespoons of the chocolate syrup, combine and layer them on the mousse.

Pour the rest of the chocolate mousse. The chocolate charlotte cake needs to sit for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. If you want it to set faster, a good trick is to place it in the freezer for about half an hour, then in the fridge for another 2 hours. The last layer of chocolate whipped cream you can add after one hour of setting or right before serving.

Chocolate Chalilly

To make chocolate chantilly or chocolate whipped cream, simply beat the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder until the cream is stiff but still creamy, Use any piping needle you prefer and pipe the cream on the top of the chocolate charlotte cake. I like to add some dark chocolate shavings to the top, you can decorate with any garnish you prefer.

Enjoy!

After at least 4 hours of setting time in the refrigerator, you can share and enjoy the cake. The mousse is very delicious even frozen, so you can eat it like an ice cream cake or freeze the leftovers.

Pieces of equipment you might need

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