Pineapple charlotte

"Charlotte" is used to describe a kind of french dessert cakes that usually don't require any baking and are more frequently made with lady fingers and are very comparable to a tiramisu in consistency.

I have made many Charlottes with different flavors but this one is a winner; the pineapple brings such an irresistible freshness to it that it has become a go to dessert in my house for the hot summer days. You can make this charlotte with any kind of fruit you like and decorate it in so many different ways (I chose to keep it simple on this one as it was just for me and the kids)

Very very easy to make and 100% guaranteed results.

Ingredients:

2 Packages of lady fingers (preferably the spongy kind you find near your grocery store's bakery area)
1 can pineapple in juice (not syrup!)
1 medium carton (16oz) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or depending on how sweet you want the cream to be)
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (italian dessert cheese if not familiar)

Directions:

1-Put your mixing bowl and whisk attachment to chill in the freezer about 10 minutes before you start (it makes the process go a lot quicker)

2-in bowl beat the heavy whipping cream with electric hand mixer or hand free mixer (I use my KitchenAid) add vanilla and add the powdered sugar gradually and keep beating until mixture forms soft peaks

3- Add mascarpone cheese and beat a little more until incorporated

4- Seperate the pineapple chunks from the juice (keep juice on the side) and fold half of them into the mixture

5- Line a mold with plastic wrap to cover the bottom, sides and have extra lengths hang over the top.

6- Dip each lady fingers in the pineapple juice before you line them one by one across the sides of the mold.

7- Pour half the cream mixture and cover with more lady fingers (dip in pineapple juice as you go)

8- Pour the second half of the mixture and cover with the remaining lady fingers.

9- Cover the top of the mold with the hanging extremeties of the plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill over night; this is very important as it makes a world of a difference in the way the cake tastes.

10- Uncover the top of the mold and place a plate on it, flip the mold onto the plate very quickly and remove the plastic wrap.

12- Decorate with pineapple chuncks or anything else you prefer (slivered almonds/chocolate shavings/ strawberries..)

Keep this dessert very cool!