Blueberry Charlotte

by Cindi Sutter, Founder of The Spirited Table® - Recipe from Sara S. Monick - a cooking instructor since 1977; Chef and culinary travel guide extraordinaireShe studied with Madeleine Kamman, Jacques Pepin, Nicholas Malgieri & Giuliano Bugialli.

I began taking Sara's cooking classes in 1987 and her recipes continue to be timeless treasures. 

This recipe can be done a day ahead of time. 

Ingredients
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup pineapple or orange juice, heated
3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp rum or kirsch
1 pint blueberries
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1 pkg. ladfingers
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Instructions

1. Line 1 1/2 quart mold with ladyfingers and set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice and set aside for 5 minutes to soften. Add softened gelatin to hot pineapple juice and stop to dissolve. Chill until syrupy. 
2. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and liquor until fluffy. Whip gelatin mixture until it becomes foamy and fold into egg whites. Fold in cream cheese mixture and then half the blueberries and 1 Tbsp of lemon zest. 
3. Put gelatin mixture into lined mold and chill several hours or overnight. Unmold on serving platter and garnish with whipped cream, remaining blueberries and lemon zest.