Apple Charlottes With Calvados Creme Anglaise Food

APPLE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the apples, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Cover and cook until the apples break down and the mixture becomes stiff, about 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool while you put together the bread.
• Arrange 4 of the bread slices in a square shape on a flat surface. Place the Charlotte mold upside down on the bread and trace the opening with a sharp edge. (Alternatively, use a 2-quart ovenproof casserole dish.) Cut the bread following the traced line and brush both sides with the softened butter. Fit the bread into the bottom of the mold. Cut 11 of the bread slices in half lengthwise. They should be about the same height as the mold. Spread the halved slices with the softened butter and place them against the inside of the mold, overlapping like a fan. Fill the mold with the apple mixture. Cut the remaining 7 slices of bread into triangles, brush with the softened butter and fan the pieces over the top, pressing to fit into the top of the mold.
• Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow the pan to cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen it before unmolding. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, using a whip, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until they are very pale yellow and smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla bean with its scrapings. Whisk about half into the egg yolk mixture until well combined, then pour back into the saucepan. Over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until the mixture heavily coats the back of the spoon. Don't scramble the eggs.
• Strain into a clean bowl and set the bowl over ice cubes and cold water until chilled, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.
• Note: To make coffee Creme Anglaise, substitute 1/4 cup crushed coffee beans (with or without caffeine) for the vanilla bean. Bring to a boil and let steep in the cream mixture, covered for about 10 minutes. When well flavored, whisk into the egg yolks. then continue with recipe
• To crush coffee beans, place in a plastic bag, close the bag, and heavily press a rolling pin over the beans. Do not grind the beans because this will darken the Creme Anglaise.

APPLE CHARLOTTE WITH CINNAMON SABAYON

Steps:

• Begin by making the filling. Set a large saute pan or roasting pan over medium heat and add butter. Peel and cut cheeks off apples then cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Once butter has melted and just starting to foam, add apples, scraped vanilla bean and pod, lemon juice, and brown sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat well and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until apples are just tender and liquid has evaporated. The sauce will caramelize slightly and should be a nice, rich dark color.
• In a shallow dish, make the batter by combining eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir with a whisk until fully combined.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and generously butter and sugar 4 (1-cup) ramekins.
• Invert a ramekin, or use a round cutter, on half of the bread slices to use as a guide to cut out circles. These will be the bases and top of the charlottes - you should have 8 in total. Cut the other slices of bread in half lengthwise.
• Working with the circles. lightly coat in the batter and place in the bottom of each ramekin. Lightly dip the other rectangles of bread in batter as well, then use them to line the walls of each ramekin - standing them upright around the perimeter leaving an overhang that you will later use to fold over and seal the charlotte. It should take about 6 strips per ramekin. Fill each mold with apples and some of the caramel from the pan. Fold over the edges to seal it up completely and sprinkle the tops with a little sugar.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. If the tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil. When done, the bread will have puffed up slightly, the edges will be brown and the sugar on top will have caramelized. Allow to cool slightly, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto individual plates. Serve with cinnamon sabayon.
• To make sabayon, combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set over a pot of boiling water on low heat, i.e. a double boiler. Whisk (you can use an electric whisk to make it easier) until the mixture becomes light and fluffy and the volume almost doubles.

BAKED APPLES WITH ALMOND BUTTER AND CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Begin by scoring very small thin lines around the sides of the apples using a zester, this is to prevent the apple from exploding while cooking. Remove the cores from 1 end, using a melon baller, making sure not to go completely through the apples.
• To make the mixture, combine the softened butter, sugar, almond powder, and the cinnamon, and mix until all ingredients are combined.
• Stuff the apples with the butter mixture, and cook for 40 minutes.
• While the apples are baking, combine the cream, vanilla, and 2 ounces sugar in a saucepot, and bring to a boil.
• In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, remaining 2 ounces sugar, and blend until smooth. Once the cream has come to a boil, temper egg yolks with approximately 1/2 of the cream, making sure to whisk constantly. Return the tempered yolks to the cream mixture. Cook the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain the sauce into a container, and then cool in the refrigerator or in an ice-water bath.
• To serve, plate each warm apple on a dessert plate, and add a drizzle of the cream sauce around and on top of each apple.

APPLE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter a 1-litre pudding basin, then dust with sugar, making sure you cover the whole inside and tipping out any excess sugar. Put a strip of parchment parchment across it (so it's easier to remove the pudding later).
• Cut the crusts off the bread and flatten the slices with your hands. Dip in the melted butter, covering both sides. Use around 4½ slices of the bread to line the base and sides of the basin, overlapping them to make sure there aren't any gaps. Transfer the mould to the fridge while you make the filling.
• To make the filling, put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat for a few mins until it turns a dark caramel colour - avoid stirring it. Add the butter and stir to combine, being careful as it will steam a little. Add the apples, orange juice, zest and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Cook over a high heat for 5-8 mins until the apple has softened and the liquid has reduced slightly, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pudding basin from the fridge and pour the apple filling into it. Cover the top of the filling with the remaining bread and press down the edges of the bread to seal it together.
• Put the pudding on a baking tray and bake for 35-40 mins, or until golden brown. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then carefully tip upside down onto a serving plate and remove from the basin. Serve with custard or ice cream.

CALVADOS CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half and the vanilla bean to just a simmer, and then immediately remove the pan from the heat.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugar until they are smooth and add a small bit of the hot vanilla cream, stirring constantly.
• Immediately transfer the warmed egg mixture back into the hot cream and continue whisking until they are completely incorporated.
• Heat the mixture over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reads 170 degrees on a digital candy thermometer or is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Remove from heat, stir in the Calvados, and chill the custard completely before serving it.