Charlotte Royale (Brain cake)

(adapted from www.axis-of-aevil.net/archives/2005/08/

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If your local supermarket stocks them, buy two  jam sponge rolls (you may need three if the bowl is large or if the jam sponge rolls are small). Otherwise, Recipezaar (www.recipezaar.com) has numerous jelly roll recipes to make yourself…

1. Butter a bowl (or mold or springform pan). 2. Cut the cakes into about 1½cm (half inch) slices  and line the bowl around the sides and base, fitting them tightly together so that there are no spaces for the custard to seep through. Reserve some slices for placing on top of the Bavarian cream (which will be the bottom of the cake when removed from the mold). Refrigerate until you are ready to fill the mold.

Bavarian Cream: Makes: about 2 litres (or roughly 3½ pints) Custard 15-20g gelatine (or 1¼t [5g] powdered Agar Agar, for vegetarian option) 1T vanilla essence (or 1 vanilla pod, or 2 tablespoons real vanilla sugar)

100g or ½ cup icing sugar 2½ cups whole milk 8 egg yolks pinch of salt Whipped cream 2 cups whipping cream, very cold 50g or ¼ cup icing sugar ½ – 1 cup fresh or frozen berries 2 tablespoons liqueur (optional)

1. If using gelatine, soak gelatine in 3 tablespoons cold water. 2. Heat milk with vanilla over a medium heat.Add gelatine (or Agar Agar) to the milk and bring it gently to the boil, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. 3. While cooling, whisk together egg yolks, icing sugar and salt until smooth and pour  the yolk mixture into the milk while stirring constantly. 4. Stir continuously with whisk over a gentle heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. The mixture must NOT boil. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool, then refrigerate until the custard is cold and just beginning to thicken.

5. While the custard is cooling, whip the cream until it just starts to thicken, then add the icing sugar. Continue whipping to soft peaks. Fold in the fruit or purée and/or liqueur if using. 6. Fold cream together with the cooled, but not set, custard. (If the custard has cooled and set a bit too fast, use your mixer to make it creamy before blending it with the whipped cream.) 7. Pour into the prepared dish, top with reserved slices of sponge roll and chill overnight. 8. To unmold, briefly place the bowl into warm water, cover with serving plate and invert. Tap gently and ease the bowl off of the cake. Add whipped cream and fruit as a garnish if you like.