Rachel's Spiced Pear Charlotte Russe

A classic dessert with a twist, Rachel’s Spiced Pear Charlotte Russe features delicate sponge fingers encasing layers of Glögg spiced pear compote and silky white chocolate mousse. Inspired by her current hometown of Sweden, Glögg is an infusion of aromatic Nordic flavours: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange and star anise.

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COOKING TIME: 2.5 hours

INGREDIENTS 

Glögg Spiced Poached Pears:

1 cinnamon stick

3 cardamom pods

1 star anise

2 whole cloves

½ tsp pepperberry

750ml red wine, shiraz

250ml water

250ml port

¼ cup (60ml) honey

3 tbsp caster sugar

1 whole orange, cut into rounds

5 very small corella pears, with stalks, peeled and cored

White Chocolate Mousse:

8g gold gelatin leaves (4 leaves)

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

2 whole cloves

½ tsp pepperberry

250ml whole milk

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped

3 large egg yolks

50g caster sugar

200g white chocolate

250ml thickened cream (35% fat)

Glögg Jelly:

250ml poaching syrup from pears

8g gold gelatin leaves (4 leaves)

¼ tsp (1g) agar-agar

1/3 cup neutral glaze

Gold leaf

Sponge Fingers:

3 large eggs, separated

100g caster sugar (divided into 50g for yolks and 50g for whites)

100g plain flour, sifted

Zest of 2 oranges

Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced).

2. To poach the pears: In a mortar and pestle, lightly crush spices cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise, cloves, pepperberry add to a medium saucepan along with all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, cook for 5 minutes, reduce heat and poach for 45 - 60 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. 

3. For the white chocolate mousse: Soak gelatine leaves in iced water until softened.  In a mortar and pestle, lightly crush spices cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and pepperberry add to a medium saucepan, add milk, vanilla pod and spices.  Bring to a simmer, remove from heat and set aside to infuse. Using a stick blender with small processor attachment, blitz white chocolate until roughly chopped, transfer to large bowl.

4. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with sugar until thick and pale. Strain milk over egg mixture, discarding spices, whisking, return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened and has reached 82°C. Remove from heat, squeeze out gelatine and add to egg mixture, stir until dissolved.  Pour over white chocolate, stirring until smooth and completely melted. Set aside in fridge until 25 – 30°C, stirring occasionally, it should cool but not set.

5. To make glögg jelly: Soak gelatine leaves in iced water. Remove 250ml of the poaching liquid from pears. Strain into a small saucepan, add agar, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Squeeze out gelatine and add to the mixture, stirring until dissolved. Place a medium baking tray, lined with plastic wrap into the fridge, pour gelée mixture into tray, approx thickness of 5mm. Place in the fridge until set, approx 15-20 minutes. Continue to poach pears.

6. For the ladyfingers: On two sheets of baking paper, draw a 12cm circle on one sheet and two rectangles (7cm x 30cm) on the other. Place on baking trays.

7. In a stand mixer, whisk the egg yolks with 50g of sugar until thick and pale. Add orange zest and combine, gently fold in the sifted flour.

8. In a clean stand mixer bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding the remaining 50g of sugar until stiff and glossy. Gently fold the meringue into the yolk mixture until just combined. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round 0.5cm piping tip (Loyal 11).

9. Pipe the base for the sponge in a spiral motion onto the baking paper with the circle, starting from the centre towards the edge. For the sponge collar, pipe the mixture diagonally and evenly, one line at a time, across the length of the rectangle, repeat. Dust with icing sugar and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool.

10. For the pears: Remove pears from poaching liquid onto a tray and place into freezer. Strain poaching liquor and return to medium high heat, reduce until it begins to thicken and deepen in colour.

11. For the white chocolate mousse: Remove mousse from fridge, it should be cool but not set (25 – 30°C). In a stand mixer, whisk thickened cream to soft peaks, gently fold into cooled white chocolate mousse until combined. Transfer to a piping bag set aside in fridge.

12. Brush pears all over with reduced poaching liquor, return to fridge.

13. Assemble the Charlotte: Place 14cm presentation ring on a tray. Neatly trim off one long edge of each rectangle/collar to create a straight edge and line the sides of the ring, uncut edge upright, ensuring the ends meet, trim to fit neatly. Gently place the sponge base disc, upside down, into the ring, trim to fit if necessary.

14. Pipe white chocolate mousse into the base, to fill one-third. Using 12cm presentation ring, cut a round disc of glögg jelly and carefully place on top of mousse. Continue to pipe mousse leaving a 1.5cm gap at the top, reserve a little mousse for assembly. Place charlotte into freezer and allow to set for 20 minutes.

15. Presentation: Brush pears again with reduced poaching liquor. Slice pears into a selection of halves and quarters, keeping stalks intact.  Remove charlotte from freezer and decorate the top arranging pear pieces upright, piping extra mousse as support, warm neutral glaze and brush all over pears, add gold leaf to stalks.  Transfer to serving platter, carefully remove the presentation ring and tie with ribbon.