No-bake Charlotte Cake - Keke Hāriata Kore-tunu
A doubled layered chocolate mousse cake wrapped in lady fingers, complimented with flavours of fresh berries. A great Christmas dessert or a cake for any celebration!
Servings 1 large cake (12-14 servings)
Equipment
- 1 x 20 cm Loose Bottom Cake Tin, around 7 cm high.
Ingredients
The Lady Fingers - Ngā Matimati Kōpunga
- 200 g matimati kōpunga (sponge fingers, lady fingers)
- 1 can (425 g) paramu pango (black Doris plums, from) You can also swap this for a can of boysenberries.
The Dark Chocolate Layer - Te Paparanga Tiakarete Parauri
- 3 tablespoon (45 ml) wai (water)
- 1 teaspoon paura tetepe (gelatine powder, I use Mrs Rogers)
- 150 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate, 60% is best)
- ⅓ C (85 ml) miraka (milk)
The Cream - Te Kirīmi
- 250 g kirīmi tepe (creme fraiche)
- 1 ¾ C (435 ml) kirīmi (cream)
- ¾ C (125 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) wanira (vanilla)
The Milk Chocolate Layer - Te Paparanga Tiakarete Miraka
- 1 teaspoon paura tetepe (gelatine powder)
- 3 tablespoon (45 ml) wai (water)
- 150 g tiakarete miraka (milk chocolate, 33%)
- ⅓ C (85 ml) miraka (milk)
The Decorations - Ngā Whakarākei (All Optional)
- 1 C paramu (plums) or poihanapere (boysenberries) from a can.
- Kiri ārani (orange zest, of half an orange)
- 250 g rōpere (strawberries)
- 100 g parakipere (blackberries)
- 100 g tūturu (blueberries)
- Handful of micro basil
Instructions
Prepare the Lady Fingers:
- Cut 2 cm off each matimati kōpunga (sponge fingers). Leave the small pieces to the side.
- Line a 20 cm, loose base cake tin with the lady fingers. Place the cut side on the base, and the sugar side against the tin.
- You will have a few matimati kōpunga (sponge fingers) left over. Cut them in to small pieces too.
Add the Lady Fingers Pieces to the Base:
- Pour around ½ cup of juice from the paramu (plums) or poihanapere (boysenberries) into a small bowl. Reserve the fruit for the topping.
- Add the lady finger pieces in to the juice and soak them for 5 seconds. Then place them in the base of the cake tin.
- Smooth them out with the back of your spoon, adding a little extra juice if you need to. You don't want it soaking here but just soft enough for the sponges to absorb the juice.
- Leave to the side.
Bloom the Gelatine:
- Add the wai (water) in to a small bowl and sprinkle over the paura tetepe (gelatine powder). Whakaranuhia (mix to combine).
- Leave to bloom.
Melt the Dark Chocolate:
- Add 3 cm of wai (water) in to pot and heat over low-medium heat until gently simmering.
- Add the tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate) and miraka (milk) in to a heat proof bowl that is wider than your pot.
- Place the bowl on to the pot and melt the tiakarete (chocolate), stirring occasionally until it is smooth.
- Once it is melted, remove it from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes.
Melt the Gelatine:
- Melt the bloomed gelatine in the microwave for 20 seconds or you can place the bowl in the pot of hot water and stir until it is melted.
- Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Combine the Gelatine and Chocolate:
- After five minutes, stir it in to the melted tiakarete (chocolate).
- Leave it to the side as you make the kirīmi (cream).
Whip the Cream:
- Add the kirīmi tepe (creme fraiche), kirīmi (cream), puehu huka (icing sugar) and wanira (vanilla) in to a medium bowl.
- Whakapāhukahukatia (whip it) on medium speed until soft peaks are reached.
Divide the Cream in to Three Parts:
- Reserve ½ cup of kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream) for the topping. Leave it in the fridge until needed.
- Split the remaining kirīmi (cream) in half.
- Set half (around 2 cups) aside for the milk chocolate layer. Whakamātaohia (refrigerate).
Fold the Chocolate in to the Whipped Cream:
- The remaining half (around 2 cups) of the kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream) is used for the dark chocolate.
- Add the cooled tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate) mixture in to the kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream). Do this in 3 parts, folding gently after each addition.
Pour it in to the Tin:
- Once it is all incorporated and smooth, pour it in to the prepared cake tin and smooth out the top.
- Whakamātaohia (refrigerate) for 45 minutes.
Prepare The Milk Chocolate Layer:
- Once the first layer has chilled for 30 minutes, prepare the paparanga tiakarete miraka (milk chocolate layer).
Bloom the Gelatine:
- Add the wai (water) in to a small bowl and sprinkle over the paura tetepe (gelatine powder). Whakaranuhia (mix to combine).
- Leave to bloom.
Melt the Milk Chocolate:
- Add the tiakarete milk (milk chocolate) and miraka (milk) in to a heat proof bowl. Melt it as you did with the dark chocolate, stirring occasionally.
- Once it is melted and smooth, remove it from the heat and cool for ten minutes.
Melt the Gelatine:
- Melt the bloomed gelatine in the microwave for 20 seconds or you can place the bowl in the pot of hot water and stir until it is melted.
- Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Then stir it in to the melted tiakarete miraka (milk chocolate).
Fold the Chocolate in to the Whipped Cream:
- Once the milk chocolate mixture is room temperature, add it in to the 2 cups of reserved kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream). Do this in 3 parts, folding gently after each addition.
Pour it in to the Cake Tin:
- Once it is all incorporated and smooth, pour it in to the prepared cake tin.
- Please note: This layer in the video was a disaster! It should not look runny like that so take not of this consistency of the first layer, the milk chocolate layer should be the same.
Refrigerate:
- Chill it for at least 4 hours or you can have this in the fridge for up to 5 days before serving.
- If you are leaving it for more than a day, cover it with a bowl cover or place it in a sealed container.
Add to a Cake Stand:
- Up to 12 hours before serving, decorate the top of the Keke Hāriata (Charlotte Cake).
- Take the chilled cake out of the fridge and release it out of the tin.
- Add it a serving plate or cake stand. I kept mine on the cake tin base to serve it but you can remove it if you want to.
Decorate the No-bake Chocolate Charlotte Cake:
- First, spread the reserved ½ cup of kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream) on to the top of the set cake.
- Remove the stones from the paramu (plums). Mash the paramu (plums) or poihanapere (boysenberries) in a small bowl. Grate in the kiri ārani (orange zest) and stir it to combine.
- Add the paramu (plums) or poihanapere (boysenberries) on top of the cream.
Add the Berries:
- Arrange the halved rōpere (strawberries) around the edge of the Keke Hāriata (Charlotte Cake).
- Place whole parakipere (blackberries) in the centre.
- Add the tūrutu (blueberries) on top and adorn it with dainty rau pāhiri (basil leaves).
Wrap the No-bake Chocolate Charlotte Cake in a Bow:
- Wrap it in a ribbon of your choosing and tie a beautiful bow. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
- Once all of the fresh hua (berries) are added to the keke (cake) it will last for around 12 hours.Anything beyond that and the berries will start to loose their freshness.
Serve the Charlotte Cake:
- Present it to your manuhiri (guests) and listen to the ohhhh's and wow's! All that effort was worth it and everyone will feel the aroha (love) that you have put in to it.