Charlotta

This is my father’s favourite dessert; it reminds him of his childhood. Charlotta is a dessert that many Cypriot children have grown up with — a Middle-Eastern flavoured trifle, which is good to serve after a meal that has even a hint of those Middle-Eastern spices. Between the two layers of sponge are pieces of special fruit in their sweet syrup, a splashing of brandy and rose water, and a layer of pastry cream. Try your hardest to get hold of green (unripe) walnuts in syrup — they seem an