Baked Dessert Recipe: Cinnamon Apple Sponge Cake
Ready to savor a delightful dessert that'd make Obama proud? Here's a charlottelike treat reminiscent of the Obama inaugural luncheon.
Requirements:- Equipment: 10 ceramic baking ramekins or metal molds (3-inch diameter).- Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients:For the apple filling:- 4 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter- 1/4 cup water- 1/3 cup granulated sugar- 1/3 cup apple sauce- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg- 1/4 teaspoon salt- Lemon zest from 1 lemon- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the brioche crust:- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (7 of them)- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar- 34 slices of brioche (or white) bread
For the caramel sauce:- 2 cups store-bought caramel sauce- 2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced small- A pinch each of sugar, cinnamon- 1 tablespoon butter
For the vanilla ice cream:- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
Instructions:
For the apple filling:1. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add apples, and caramelize; add water, cook for 15-20 minutes or until apples soften.2. Remove cover, add sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Cook, stirring apples frequently, until liquid evaporates (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat, and mix in zest, apple sauce, and vanilla. Let it cool.
For the crust and assembly:1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease dishes with a tablespoon of butter, add sugar, tilting to coat bottom and sides; tap excess sugar out.2. Using a bread knife, remove crusts from brioche slices. Center bottom of mold over one square, cut around mold to form a circle for the top. Make 20 of these round pieces; 10 for the bottom, 10 for the top. Dip each one in melted butter, and place at the bottom of each mold.3. Cut each of the remaining slices into four rectangular pieces. Dip one side of each strip in melted butter and arrange strips, upright, around the inside of the molds, buttered-sides against the mold and overlapping by about 1/2-inch to completely line the molds. Use 6 rectangles to line each mold.4. Spoon the apple filling into the bread-lined molds, mounding slightly in the center.5. Take the remaining round pieces of bread, dip them in butter, and place them on top of the filling, buttered-sides up. Press down lightly.6. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover the top loosely with foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown, and the sides are golden brown (use a knife to check). Remove from the oven, uncover, and let it rest for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edges of the molds to easily flip out onto serving plates.
For the caramel apple sauce:1. Saute 1 cup of peeled and diced Granny Smith apples in butter, add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon. Cook until apples are lightly browned and all sugars have dissolved. Remove from heat and add 2 cups caramel sauce to the apples, stirring to coat apples.
To assemble:1. Pour caramel apple sauce over warm apple cakes and serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream.
Fun fact: Traditionally, an apple Charlotte is a type of charlotte consisting of cooked apples in a mold lined with bread.
Enjoy your elegant, apple-rich dessert with a modern twist, worthy of any formal event!
- The apple filling for this charlottelike treat includes Granny Smith apples, granulated sugar, apple sauce, ground nutmeg, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
- For the crust, brioche bread slices are dipped in melted butter and arranged, overlapping by about 1/2-inch, to completely line the baking ramekins or metal molds.
- The assembled dessert is served with a topping of caramel apple sauce and a side of vanilla ice cream, creating a delightful dessert that overlaps traditional apple Charlotte with modern twists.
