And this The Easiest (and Most Delightful) Lemon Charlotte You Will Ever Make is also the only lemon Charlotte recipe that you will ever need.
Is there anything that loudly screams “Spring” better than citrusy desserts? And talking about Spring, let me tell you that “When will the winter end” and “I wish it was Spring already” were pretty much El Gringo’s mottoes all throughout the cold season. Of course very truly yours put on a stoic front and restrained herself from proclaiming that she indeed absolutely loves the winter. I showed (almost) total restraint every time my hubby voiced his desire for Jack Frost to capitulate already and retreat. I only rolled my eyes once or twice every time he started harping on about how terrible freezing temperatures are.
See, I fully embrace hygge, that Nordic term that describes a cozy, contented mood created by comfort and conviviality, often associated with simple pleasures like spending time with loved ones or enjoying a warm atmosphere.
I dread the heat, despite being born in the ides of July. And also despite being born in Mexico. But there is something associated with warm weather that I love: lemony desserts. All. Of. Them.
And since I know most of you like them too, I am sharing with you this The Easiest (and Most Delightful) Lemon Charlotte You Will Ever Make recipe, which is ridiculously simple, extremely easy to make, totally inexpensive and utterly exquisite in its velvety lemoniness. It is a truly tantalizing dessert that calls for everyday pantry ingredients that you probably already have. And this is why this sweet took Mexico by storm decades ago, since the inception of canned milks. The popularity of this lemon Charlotte only increased with every passing year.
Now, the original Mexican recipe calls for Maria cookies, which are vanilla-flavored. They work amazingly well for this layered charlotte. You can find Marias in the International/Latin food aisle of your favorite store. Some American brands manufacture them too. However, if you have some other kind of vanilla cookies or crackers, go ahead and use them instead.
The Easiest (and Most Delightful) Lemon Charlotte
Ingredients
- For the Lemon Charlotte:
- 1 – 12oz. can evaporated milk
- 1 – 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 – 5 green, seedless lemons)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3oz. cream cheese
- 1-.25oz. envelope unflavored gelatin bloomed (hydrated) in 1/4 cup cold water
- 1.5 sleeves Maria cookies 30 – 36 cookies, depending on their size, some brands make them larger than others, plus more for garnish. Eash sleeve is 4.9oz (140 grams).
- For garnish:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 – 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure lemon extract (optional)
- zest of one lemon
- 1 unit lemon washed and cut in thin slices
- 5 – 6 units Maria cookies halved
Instructions
- In the blender process the canned milks, the lemon juice, the milk and the cream cheese. Microwave the bloomed unflavored gelatin until melted, for 5 – 10 seconds and slowly add it into the blender while it's running. Blend until smooth.
- At this point you can use either a round springform pan or a square pan. Your choice. If you are planning on unmolding your Charlotte, I suggest you use the springform pan. If using the springform pan, line the bottom with foil. Cover the base of your springform or pan with 12 – 14 Maria coookies. Top with milk/lemon juice mix, then layer with cookies. Do that once more and top the third layer of cookies with the remaining milk mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, until firm.
- Unmold your Charlotte running a sharp knife along the inside edge of the springform mold and unlatching the pan. Carefully place it on a cake stand or a large platter.
- Whip the cream with the powdered sugar and lemon extract until soft peaks form. Cover the top of the Charlotte evenly, using an offset spatula. Evenly sprinkle the lemon zest all over the surface and garnish with the lemon slices and halved Maria cookies. Enjoy!
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