"Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need."

It really hasn't taken me this long to lick my wounds, life has just encroached on this blogging thing.  I promised the Char-LOTTE story and for the sake of this journal experience, and posterity I am going to do my best to communicate that adventure in a concise manner.
Setting:  Baking Final.  Kitchen Stadium, San Diego Culinary Institute
Production:  2 Creme Brulee; 1- 8" Almond Creme Fruit Tart; 1 Raspberry Mousse Charlotte
The Narrative:  After the chef's signal we students started separately with our Biscuit Cuilliere (Lady Finger Batter), consisting of whipped egg yolk with sugar; whipped egg white with sugar; folded in to flour and corn starch.  After creating the dough from a 1/2 recipe several of us noted, upon piping it into circles and long 6" wide strips there didn't seem to be enough batter to create one charlotte.  We decided to pool our strengths and mise en place for one more recipe, pipe it out and it would act as reserve for whomever needed it.  (The brilliance of this idea will unfold with the story.)  At this point I start on my almond tart and creme brulee, but I will not digress into this endeavor, just know it was occurring simultaneously with the charlotte.  The biscuit turned out well; a couple of my circles (one for the bottom and one for the middle layer) were a little thin, but acceptable.  Time to start the mousse.  The Italian Meringue, made earlier, needed to be folded into the raspberry puree (with gelatin.)  It had lost a little volume, and was a little resistant to incorporation, but I got there.  I added the whipped cream to finish the mousse and was ready to build the charlotte.  I cut my circles to fit inside the metal mold and folded my strips of baked biscuit cuilliere around the mold creating the sides.  I brushed the bottom circle with the "fruit punch" and proceeded to measure out my mousse with a ladle so the layers would be uniform.  It didn't take long to see I was not going to have enough mousse for this charlotte, but I had already started filling the mold, so I couldn't remove what mousse I had already used.  If I was lucky it would be 2/3 full (probably a result of fallen Italian Meringue and too much work incorporating it.)  This would not do!  I can't present a charlotte 2/3 full.  This would mean failing this final and having to repeat this day all over again... NEVER!  What could I do quickly?  Add whipped cream to some puree and gelatin was my best bet - the layer would be slightly different, but it was the only option I could conjure up during the time I had and the other platings and desserts I had to give the chef.  I went in search of more puree and heavy cream - there was NONE.  NONE!  Oh gracious, I am doomed.  I could mound fruit on top - the chef would never go for that.  Ergh.  Then the reach-in refrigerator door opened and light from heaven poured forth from it's miraculous chamber and out came... yes Raspberry Mousse.  One full quart my partner and I had refrigerated (10 days prior to this day) when we were creating them in class.  I melted down that gelatinized mousse on the induction burner and went in search for (Please, God) and extra circle layer.  I found one.  In short, I had a 3 layered charlotte.  To present the desserts we had to show the whole creation minus one piece which was plated and garnished to the nines.  The chef cocked his head sideways as he judged my charlotte and said, "This charlotte has three layers."  I said, "I know."  He said with a grin, "I don't think we have ever had a three layered charlotte presented for a final."
I got an A.  God be praised.  Thank you whoever had that inspiration to make extra biscuit cuilliere. 
Do you see the hand of the kindest of Gods in this?  Boy, I do.  And I learned this lesson (which goes back to the title of this blog):  Not only use a larger pot than you think you need, make extra batter and filling or extra everything for a culinary final.