… now that i’ve been given the extra time, i’ve decided to use the next couple of days to make Christmas Lunch… no, i’ve not gone completely barmy, it’s just I have a deadline to meet and the lovely Caroline from Lincolnshire Life Magazine has given me a double page spread for Christmas… so i’m cooking 3 courses… all vegetarian… as I have a whole load of veggies coming and I want to impress!
… not that this has anything to do with the Apple Charlotte, it’s just that I had all my Christmas cookbooks out last night and HRH Delia’s book happened to fall open at her infamous Apple Charlotte recipe and my mind started to whir… what if I used my left-over Challah bread, which is remarkably like Brioche… and then what if I coat the bread with chocolate butter..? I will have fulfilled this months We Should Cocoa brief of cooking apples with chocolate… and created possible the most heavenly dessert ever!
… my pudding basin was out anyway, as i’m going to make the layered caramelised onion and mushroom suet pudding which I made last year for Christmas… so as usual there are about a hundred dead birds in the kitchen and only the one stone!
Chocolate Apple Charlotte
1lb apples – peeled and chopped (I used half Bramley cooking apples half Cox’s)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
4oz butter
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
roughly six slices of thick cut white bread with the crusts removed – i used challah, with crusts on
1 egg yolk
You will need a 1pint pudding basin
– using a tablespoon of water, gently simmer the apples in a pan with the 1oz of the butter and all the sugar until mushy. If using more than one apple variety they may take different lengths of time to mush but this is ok as it’s good to have texture in the pudding. Once mushed, set aside to cool.
– melt the butter gently in the microwave and then add 2 large teaspoons of dark cocoa powder, stiring until melted together
– brush both sides of each slice of bread with the chocolate butter and line the pudding basin with it, making sure there are no gaps
– stir the egg yolk into the mushed apple and then pour this into the pudding and then place on a bread lid
– take an oven-proof plate or dish and stand this on top of the pudding with a weight on top… I didn’t have either so used a bowl with a Kilner jar filled with water as the weight… worked just fine!
– let it sit like this for 20 mins, then bake in the oven, with the plate and weight for 30 mins, then, remove the plate and weight and bake for a further 10 minutes until the top is crispy.
serve with lashings of cream… eat and of course, enjoy!
Great idea, I'll be trying this later.
Oh yes love a good apple charlotte and with chocolate what could be better. Might try this using panattoni an italian bread that is very christmassy.
Yum! Love the patterns that the bread gives on the outside!
What a super idea. I love it when leftovers can be put to such surprising uses! Good luck with the magazine spread too.
I am always ipen to new ideas Dom. Also congrats on the magazine spread, very cool!!!
What a great looking dessert. Another good reason to make your last loaf. I have seen these pans in the baking specialty store and now I now what to use them for. Yummy recipe Dom!
What a super pudding, It's wonderful that you have created an even better apple Charlotte. We will be eating this soon.
Magazine spread ….. well done you! (don't forget I need a mention when you write the cookbook!!)
Yummy dessert – although I'm afraid I'd throw alot more sugar in there!!!!!! I love the idea of the different textures, I think Delia would be proud.
Sounds delicious!!
Have a great day
Congrats on the magazine coverage! Of course it is well deserved 🙂
The Charlotte looks AMAZING! I could devour that in one sitting… easily!
Very clever, young Dom. In fact, almost as clever as my WSC appley wotsit, which is coming soon… you're gonna love it (she said, modestly)!
I like this, I like this a lot (psst any quinces left?)
sounds and looks great!! and…how do i get my hot little hands on a copy of Lincolnshire Life up here in Edinburgh? huh???
Beautiful recipe Dom! You know I am crazy for apples at the moment. Good luck with the magazine. Do keep us updated 🙂
What a brilliant idea and it looks great….good luck with the magazine spread ~ it will be amazing I am sure.
I like this chocolate apple charlotte idea, very clever indeed!
Gosh Dom, centrefold spread? Well done you and also congrats on a fabulous pudding. That looks divine.
What a marvellous creation! It looks delicious – might even change my mind about apples and chocolate together. 😉
Congratulations on the magazine spread…will we get a sneak preview? I've never made an apple charlotte, chocolate or otherwise, and I'm looking forward to it.
Lovely idea – I really like that touch of chocolate. I haven't made a charlotte for more years than I care to remember and, reading this recipe, I don't really know why that is.
Great looking dessert. I love the mix of apple and chocolate. Have you seen Nigel Slater's Apple Betty Charlotte in Real Food? Very yummy. GG
This looks amazing! I'll have mine with lashings of cream please 🙂
Dom that looks truly glorious, what a genius mind you do have ;0)
Brilliant idea Dom and it looks so elegant too. Your Christmas dinner is sounding more appealing by the minute – hummm, just wondering if I can wangle myself an invite 😉
Great post. I was wondering if you would like to put up a link to this apple recipe in my Food on Friday Series.