Individual Apple Charlottes

Oh my oh my, here's something better'n apple pie! Did you know there's a heck of a lot more things you can do with a couple of slices of white bread than make a simple stick to the roof of your mouth PBJ sandwich? Point in fact, it is the ingredient responsible for making this old fashioned dessert an absolute stellar company worthy success and we have Fine Cooking to thank for the recipe.

Bread dipped in butter on both sides and sugar on one lined the insides and bottom of some rather too large ramekins in our case. Packed with peeled and diced apples, sauteed in butter along with lemon rind, vanilla bean and raisins until the apples just began to soften, the puddings finished their metamorphasis in the oven.

The sugary outside coating caramelized and the bread became a crisp flakey pastry encapsulating a flavorful and moist filling. Awesome served warm with a scoop of ice cream, it is a dessert that absolutely, without question, deserves a place at your holiday table. 

What the heck, add a spoonful of mincemeat to the apples or dried cranberries with orange and you'll have a whole new thing. That's what I plan on doing Christmas Eve. Just sayin'. 

Individual Apple Charlottes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Fine Cooking)

2 Granny Smith apples

4 Braeburn Apples

1 Golden Delicious

1 lemon, rinsed

1 vanilla bean

1/3 cup dark raisins

1/3 cup golden raisins

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Apple Jack Brandy or Bourbon

Peel and core apples. Cut into quarter inch dice and place in a large bowl. Rinse lemon and remove strips of peel with a vegetable peeler, being careful to use only peel and not any white pith. Add to apples. Split vanilla bean in half and using a knife remove the seeds. Add seeds and pod to apples along with the raisins. Toss to mix well.

Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until melted. Add sugar and mix well. Toss in apple mixture and cook stirring constantly until apples give up their moisture and start to soften (about 5 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat, cool slightly and add brandy.

 1 loaf white bread (I used Wonder Bread)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 475. Spray 4 – 10 ounce ramekins or 6 – 8 ounce ramekins with cooking spray and place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove crusts from bread and cut rounds to fit the bottom of the ramekins. Cut rectangles from other slices to line the sides, with about a quarter inch overflow on the top of the ramekin. Dip both sides of each bread piece into butter and sugar one side only. Place sugared side down against ramekin (start with bottom first, then do sides).

To complete, remove vanilla pod and lemon zest from the apples. Fill ramekins with apple mixture, pressing down filling and mounding slightly on the top. Filling will cook down. Cover sheet pan snuggly with a sheet of foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.

To serve, run a knife around the outside of the charlotte and invert onto a plate. Serve with ice cream. 

Two year's ago - Apple Walnut Salad with Port Vinaigrette and Caramelized Pork

Comments

[Lea]

YES - I vote YES! My mouth is watering. Golden brown and glistening! I can almost smell it!

[June]

They are absolutely delicious and a perfect excuse for having dessert as the first course instead of the last. LOL Heck...I'd have it for dinner and nothing else!

[Lorraine]

I like the use of different apples, each adding their own texture and flavor and the addition of brandy...well, what can I say?

[June]

Lorraine - I often use several different kinds of apples when I make a pie, so I thought it would work well for this too. It is dynamite!