Eric Lanlard's winter fruits and madeleines charlotte cake recipe

• 20 store-bought madeleines
• 250 g (8.8oz) mixed winter fruits
• 300 g (10.6oz) strawberries
• 100 g (3.5oz) golden caster sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 300 ml (10.6fl oz) whipping cream
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 5 gelatine leaves
• 100 ml (3.5fl oz) water
• 100 g (3.5oz) golden caster sugar
• 100 g (3.5oz) strawberries

1. To make the syrup: in a saucepan, mix the sugar and water.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Leave to cool.
4. Wash 100g of strawberries, remove the stems and liquidise in a food processor to make a coulis.
5. Pass the coulis through a fine sieve to collect all the seeds.
6. When the sugar syrup is cool, mix with the coulis and put to one side.
7. To make the mousse: wash the strawberries and remove their stems.
8. Heat the strawberries in a small saucepan with 50g of golden caster sugar to create a puree.
9. Cover the gelatine leaves with cold water in a separate bowl.
10. In a separate bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with the remaining 50g of golden caster sugar.
11. Pour the hot strawberry puree on to the yolk and sugar mixture and whisk continuously.
12. 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.
13. Drain the gelatine and add it to the hot strawberry puree.
14. Put it to one side to cool.
15. Use an electric hand whisk to whip 300ml of cream in to soft peaks, adding the vanilla bean paste half way through.
16. When the strawberry puree is cold, fold in the whipped cream in two stages to create a smooth and creamy mousse.
17. To build the cake: line a 22cm in diameter springform tin with baking paper.
18. Cut the madeleines in half length ways and line the tin with the curved sides against the wall of the tin.
19. Fill the bottom of the tin with the other madeleines halves cut them to fit if need be.
20. Using a pastry brush, paint themadeleines with the syrup made at the very beginning.
21. Using a ladle cover the madeleines with the mousse.
22. Repeat the process add madeleines, paint with syrup and add mousse.
23. Make sure you leave a small gap between the final layer of mousse and the top of the madeleines.
24. Place the cake in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours.
25. When set, gently remove the tin and put on a serving plate or cake stand.
26. Decorate with the mixed winter fruits and enjoy!

madeleines, winter, strawberries, sugar, egg yolks, whipping cream, vanilla bean paste, gelatine, water, sugar, strawberries

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/45385/winter-fruits-and-madeleines-charlotte-cake-recipe (may not work)