Sharlotka Food

SHARLOTKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an oversized, deep, glass pie dish and spread apples inside.
• Combine eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment. Mix on the highest setting until eggs are foamy and change in color, 5 to 7 minutes. The goal is to achieve a consistency something close to meringue.
• Turn stand mixer off and switch the attachment to the standard mixing paddle. With the machine on its lowest setting, add flour, sour cream, salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Mix until just incorporated. Batter should be thick, fluffy, and airy. Do not overmix, as it will deflate the batter. Pour batter over apples in the pie dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top turns golden brown and a knife comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool just until it is safe to handle the pan; loosen edges and flip the cake onto a serving platter.

SHARLOTKA (RUSSIAN APPLE CAKE)

Steps:

• 1. Cover the bottom of a baking form with parchment paper. Melt the butter and generously brush the inside of the baking form. Alternately, you can also spray the form with a pan release baking spray. 2. Cut two apples into small dice. Place them into a bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice and cinnamon. Mix to make sure all apples are evenly covered. Set aside. 3. In a bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Set aside. 4. Preheat the oven to 350F. 5. In a large bowl, add the eggs and a pinch of salt. Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until the egg yolks and egg whites are combined. Add about 1/4 of sugar, increase the speed of the mixer and continue beating the eggs. Gradually add all the sugar. Beat the eggs for about 6 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and turned very pale. It should fall in ribbons from a spatula. 4. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the eggs and mix with the electric mixer just until combined. 5. In batches, sift the flour into the egg mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no pockets with flour remain. Make sure to not over mix. 6. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the baking form and evenly spread it with a spatula. In an even layer, add half of the apples. Slightly press the apples into the batter. Add more batter to cover the apples. Spread the batter over apples if needed. Add the remaining apples and cover them with the rest of the batter. Slightly shaking the form will help getting rid of the air pockets.* 7. Slice the remaining apple first into quarters and then into very thin wedges and arrange on top of the cake.** 8. Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. 9. Once the apple cake is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool on a rack before removing it from the baking form.

JAMES MARTIN'S RUSSIAN SHARLOTKA (APPLE SPONGE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Place the caster sugar, flour and eggs into a bowl and whisk together to make a thick smooth batter.
• Grease and flour a deep baking dish and arrange all the apple slices to cover the bottom of the dish.
• Spoon the batter mixture over the top and transfer to the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. (To check if the sponge is ready, insert a skewer into the top of the sponge, if it comes out sticky, return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.).

APPLE SHARLOTKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Butter the paper and the sides of the pan.
• Peel, halve and core your apples, then chop them into medium-sized chunks. (Cut each half into four "strips" then slice them fairly thinly - about 1/4-inch - in the other direction.) Pile the cut apples directly in the prepared pan.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs with sugar until thick and ribbons form on the surface of the beaten eggs.
• Beat in vanilla, then stir in flour with a spoon until just combined. Batter will be very thick.
• Spread the batter and press it down with spoon or spatula into the apple pile. The top of the batter should end up level with the top of the apples. Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out free of batter.
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes on rack, then flip out onto another rack, peel off the parchment paper, and flip it back onto a serving platter. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon.
• Serve warm or cooled, dusted with powdered sugar. Serve with barely sweetened whipped or sour cream.

SHARLOTKA (RUSSIAN APPLE PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine flour, sugar, and eggs, beat well .
• Core the apples and cut them into thin slices.
• Grease a pan and dust it lightly with flour.
• Arrange all apple slices on the bottom of the pan.
• Pour the batter mixture over the apples.
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.
• Cool.
• May be served warm or at room temperature.

POLISH APPLE CAKE (SZARLOTKA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 29cm baking tray with baking parchment.
• For the filling, zest the lemon half and leave aside for the dough. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, then squeeze over the juice of the lemon to stop the fruit turning brown. Put the apples in a large pan and add the sugar, 200ml water and cinnamon. Cook for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool in the liquid (you'll need this later).
• To make the dough, put the flour and baking powder in a food processor or into a large bowl and pulse or stir to combine. Add the butter and mix again until the mixture is sandy. Add the sugar, egg yolks and egg, yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix into a dough. Tip it out onto a floured surface. Bring it together with your hands and roll it into a ball.
• Split the dough in half, wrap one half in cling film and freeze for 1 hr. Roll out the other dough half so that it is big enough to fill the bottom of the lined tray. With the palm of your hand, push the dough about halfway up the sides of the tray until the whole base is covered. Prick the dough with a fork and bake in the oven for about 15 mins until it is golden and lightly springy to the touch.
• Spoon over the apple filling, with about half the cooking liquid, then set aside.
• Remove the dough from the freezer and coarsely grate, as you would a block of cheese. Sprinkle the grated dough over the apples and bake for 40-45 mins until it is golden and the topping has cooked through. Leave to cool completely, dust with icing sugar, then cut into squares. Whip the cream until thick, stir in the cinnamon and serve alongside the cake.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE (SHARLOTKA)

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 2 quart charlotte mold with light vegetable oil.
• Brush the ladyfingers with Grand Marnier. Line the bottom and the sides of the mold with the ladyfingers, arranging them flat side inward and tapering the sides, if necessary, to fit the bottom of the mold.
• Fold the 2 cups raspberries into the Bavarian cream. Fill the charlotte mold with the cream. Chill, uncovered, until the cream is firmly set, at least 3 hours.
• To serve, run a knife around the inside of the mold. Place a serving dish over the mold and invert, shaking lightly to loosen.
• Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Spoon the cream into a pastry bag fitted with a decorating tip. Pipe over the top and sides of the charlotte decoratively.
• Decorate with additional raspberries and serve with raspberry sauce.
• For the Bavarian Cream:.
• In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cognac and let soak while preparing the next steps.
• In a medium sized saucepan, bring the milk to a slow boil. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and the granulated sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes; do not allow to boil. Add the gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve for one minute. Set the saucepan in a large bowl filled with ice and chill, stirring frequently, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
• In a separate bowl, with clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat in the superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat until the whites are stiff and glossy, but not dry.
• Fold the cream and the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture gently but thoroughly, until well blended.
• For the Raspberry Sauce:.
• Strain the raspberries through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pushing them through with the back of a wooden spoon.
• Add the sugar, lemon juice, and Cognac, and mix well. Taste and adjust the sugar, if necessary.

RUSSIAN APPLE CAKE (SHARLOTKA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 175c and grease a 9x13 baking pan/dish (ceramic) with butter or margarine. Set aside.
• Peel, core and chop the apples. Place in a bowl and stir through brown sugar. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on high for about 2 to 3 minutes, until light yellow, thickened and about tripled in size.
• Lower the speed to low and beat in the vanilla and flour.
• In a small bowl, quickly mix the baking soda and vinegar and add it to the batter. Mix batter gently.
• Arrange the chopped apples on the baking pan. Then pour batter over the apples.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes then cover with foil and bake for another 15-20 mins or until a knife comes out clean.
• Serve warm with some double cream or wait to cool and dust with icing sugar!