The cake from Once Upon a Time in America brought to life. In the film, it is covered in cream, but I like to expose the sponge fingers, because that way it looks more elegant and pretty. (You can, of course, cover it in cream and chop them in half if you want to make mini ones.) These are really simple and easy to put together, so are perfect for a quick, custardy treat.
Once upon a charlotte russe cake
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr
Makes 6
36-42 sponge fingers
100ml whole milk
For the creme patissiere
250ml milk
60g caster sugar
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
3 egg yolks
A pinch of salt
20g cornflour
To finish
300ml double cream, lightly whipped
6 cherries, fresh or tinned
Put six metal rings – I used 7cm x 3cm ones - on a lined baking tray. Lightly brush each sponge finger with milk, then use to line the inside of each ring, ensuring the sugar-coated side faces outwards. Place a quarter of a sponge finger in the bottom of each ring.
To make the creme patissiere, heat the milk in a saucepan with half the sugar and all the vanilla, until hot but not boiling.
In a bowl, whisk the remaining 30g sugar with the egg yolks, salt and cornflour, until well combined and slightly pale. Gradually pour in the hot milk mixture, whisking continuously so the eggs don’t curdle, then pour everything back in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat, until the custard bubbles and thickens.
Take off the heat, then pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Once cooled, beat gently to soften, then fold in half the whipped double cream until well combined.
Pipe the creme patissiere into the sponge-lined rings, filling them all the way to the top, then decorate with the remaining whipped cream – I pipe it on through a star nozzle to create a beautiful swirl pattern.
Pop a cherry on top of each cake, then carefully lift the ring off each cake. Enjoy immediately, or keep in the fridge for four hours.
