Strawberry Charlotte with Strawberry Compote

• Adapted from a 1947 recipe (via The Recipes of Record by Amanda Hesser) and this New York Times Cooking recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ pounds strawberries, quartered
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Any sour liqueur, to taste
• 1½ envelopes powdered gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• ½ cup boiling water
• 2 cups purée strawberries
• 3 large egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
• A handful of whole strawberries with stems attached, for garnish

Directions

For the charlotte:

1. Soften the gelatin in the cold water in a bowl, about 5 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Add ¾ cups sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 cups puréed strawberries. Mix, let cool, then chill until starting to set, around 1 hour.
2. Whip the gelatin mixture until somewhat fluffy. Fold in the egg whites and then the cream. Add sour liqueur to taste. Pour into serving containers and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Garnish with a few whole berries. Serve with the strawberry compote.

For the compote:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the ¼ cup sugar, quartered strawberries, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Simmer until the mixture is a thick sauce, about 20 minutes. Crush the strawberries with a wooden spoon, if desired. Let cool and add sour liqueur to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Yield: 8 servings.
• Time: 1½ hour preparation; 1 hour cooking; 1 hour refrigeration.