Classic Apple Charlotte

George Hirsch February 21, 2022

COMING FEBRUARY 25th

**28 years.** That is how long we have been together since you first welcomed me into your home to share my take on cooking and baking. Always with my belief that if I can do it, you can do it! Food and culture have come a long way, only going back to the way it should be. Keep it simple, prepared with love.
This week *George Hirsch Lifestyle* TV releases on PBS Passport, Feb 25th; you will be able to watch episodes on your schedule any time you choose. Thank you for being part of my culinary journey.

As long as you have fresh apples and sliced bread you can make this elegant dessert. A classical sweet, Apple Charlotte, aka Charlotte de Pommes was created by Chef Marie Antoine Carême, who confectioned and cooked for Chef King George IV in London; also for Talleyrand, the Rothschilds in Paris and at his longtime Pâtisserie de la rue de la Paix. It is said he created the Charlotte during his brief stint in St. Petersburg in honor of his Russian employer Czar Alexander.

Who would think that a classical French dessert would become a favorite traditional English dessert? It's up there with bread and butter pudding and fool. Recently it received notoriety on the BBC and PBS TV airings of Downton Abby. The Crawley's cook, Mrs. Patmore was not able to fulfill the wish of Lady Crawley's request to serve Apple Charlotte for a very important dinner party. If only Mrs. Patmore had known just how simple this dessert is. Basically, it's a tart that uses day-old sliced bread in place of sliced sponge cake with a homemade apple sauce filling. In fact, it's so simple that every one of my students who prepared this dessert could have served it with pride for Lady Crawley's elegant dinner.

But not to fret if you don't live in a grand manor house or have no culinary degree, try this dessert for a casual weeknight and you will make Chef Marie Carême proud. And yes, I have even prepared this recipe on a grill!

Classic Apple Charlotte

Makes 8-10 servings

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For the Crust:

About 10-15 slices good firm white bread, remove crusts and cut accordingly:

- Cut approximately 6 slices into triangles, resulting in 12 pieces to fan around the bottom of the cake pan - (use more if using a larger pan)

- Cut enough slices in half and trim the height of bread to the same height of the cake pan, as directed below

- Cut remaining slices to place on top, after filling with apple mixture

8 Tablespoons sweet butter, 1 stick melted

Line the bottom of a nine-inch cake pan or oven-proof mold with 12 bread triangles that have been dipped in melted butter, overlapping them slightly as they are put in place.

Next, line the sides of the cake pan with bread pieces in melted butter as the same length as the height of the cake pan, overlapping them slightly as they are put in place. Continue until the entire inside of the cake pan is covered. Hint: the bread acts like a pastry so it is important to slightly overlap all pieces of bread while assembling the Charlotte.

For the Filling:

6 apples (3 Granny Smith, 3 Gala or other sweet variety); peeled cored, and chopped small

1/4 cup white wine, or water

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch, freshly grated nutmeg

Optional: 2 Tablespoons rum

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. SEE DIRECTIONS BELOW

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add chopped apples to the saucepan with the wine, sugar, raisins, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook until apples are soft and slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove and cool slightly.

Drain any remaining liquid from the apple mixture into a small saucepan. Over low heat, reduce the remaining liquid from the apple mixture to a syrup-like consistency, flavor with rum, and pour back into the apple mixture. Place apple mixture into the bread-lined cake pan and press cooked apples down lightly with the back of a spatula. For the top, cut pieces of bread to cover Charlotte also dipped in butter.

Bake on the center rack in a 375 degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Check after twenty-five minutes. If the top of Charlotte starts to brown too much, place a loose piece of foil or parchment paper on top.

Remove from oven and let the Charlotte cool and set for a few minutes. Place a serving plate over the baked Charlotte and turn it out carefully.

Serve warm or chilled with fresh whipped cream and an optional Apricot Sauce on the side.

Apricot Sauce

Serve on the side | Makes about one pint

1 cup Apricot Marmalade

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients. In a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes while blending all ingredients.

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AS SEEN ON PUBLIC TELEVISION & CREATE TV- SEASON ONE
FEATURING CHEF GEORGE HIRSCH DEMONSTRATING HIS SAVORY COOKING, BAKING AND GRILLING RECIPES; WITH HIS EXPERT CULINARY TIPS & TECHNIQUES, ALONG WITH VISITS TO HIS INSPIRING HAMPTON LOCATIONS.

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

This easy to live with lifestyle plan; with more than 165 of George's easy-to-prepare gourmet recipes, you can lose weight, maintain energy, look better, and enjoy a longer active life, by eating great food!
M.Evans and Company, Inc.

George Starts your year off right!

George Hirsch Living it UP
Recipes for a Healthy Active Life
Product Details
Hardcover: 240 pages; $24.95
Publisher: M. Evans and Company, Inc.; 2000
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0871319241
ISBN-13: 978-0871319241
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

Creative Cooking tips
Fast Easy recipes that allow for an active lifestyle
A 30-Day Menu Plan you can adapt throughout the year
Support and motivation for staying on a healthy eating & exercise routine
Tips for easy food shopping & eating healthy on the run

Each book is personally autographed by George Hirsch.

Hot Out of The Oven Biscuits

George Hirsch November 19, 2021

Forget the version from the tube, who doesn't like fresh homemade hot biscuits straight out of the oven? Great for breakfast, lunch, tea, or with a hot dinner soup and my Oven Fried Garlic Chicken.

Tips for the best biscuits:

Make sure the butter and the milk are very cold and be sure not to over mix the dough. It's important to use a sharp cutter; the sharper the cutter, the cleaner the cut, the higher the biscuits will rise.

George Hirsch's Biscuits

Makes one dozen

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2 cups sifted all purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup milk

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

Sift dry ingredients, blend butter with dry ingredients using a pastry blender or a knife & fork. Add milk & mix well. Knead dough 2 minutes. Roll out dough and cut out biscuits. At this point you can store the cut out biscuit dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.

Bake on a ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the biscuits.

Serve immediately warm from the oven with butter or honey or both.

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Savory Waffles as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch March 6, 2021

At the 1964 World's Fair, Americans were introduced to the Belgian waffle, made fluffy with the help of yeast and egg whites. Once electric waffle irons replaced those inconvenient metal plates, waffles officially became an American favorite.

In North America, Belgian waffles are a variety of waffles with a lighter batter, larger squares, and deeper pockets than ordinary American waffles. Belgian waffles were originally leavened with yeast but baking powder is now often used.

Tired of toast & sausage for breakfast and brunch? Then opt-in for a southern treat. These waffles are the perfect accompaniment to my Oven Fried Garlic Chicken, always a family favorite, and I’m delighted to share with you.

Savory Waffles

Makes 8 waffles

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons pure cane sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 cups of milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

½ cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded

¼ teaspoon each:

curry powder, paprika, dried thyme, ground black pepper, hot sauce

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or dill

Preheat waffle maker.

George_Hirsch_Lifestyle_Dill_And_Cheddar_Waffles_103T copy.png

Put all ingredients, except egg whites, in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until moistened. Increase to medium speed; mix for 2 minutes or until just smooth. Do not over mix.

By hand, gently fold in beaten egg whites. Pour 1/2 cup batter over grids for a regular waffle baker—more for a Belgium waffle. Close waffle maker, bake until steam no longer escapes, about 3 minutes. Repeat.

Serve while hot with Fried Chicken.

Note: Serve topped with butter and hot syrup, or better yet with warm fresh fruit compote.

***a classic Waffles + Oven Fried Chicken***

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Let's Get Baking!

George Hirsch February 22, 2021

Who doesn't like a good muffin? After all, once the recipe is mixed, it bakes in minutes and is ready-to-serve. Or, pack them up for an easy take-along snack or mid-day treat.

WARNING: You may need to pack extra if taking muffins to the office. After all, sharing is just a nice thing to do!

Tips: Using very ripe bananas (black) is the key to success with a banana muffin recipe. Save up ripe bananas and freeze in a plastic bag until you have enough to make a full recipe.

For a "lower fat" muffin, replace the butter in-part or all with applesauce.

George's Banana Nut Muffins

recipe adapted from George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook

makes 10-12 muffins

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

For the Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons nuts, chopped

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts. Blend butter in with a fork until mixture is crumb like.

For the Muffin Mix:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups, about 3-4 large very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup sweet butter, melted; or replace with part/ all applesauce

Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, zest, nuts, and melted butter. Fold in banana mixture by hand with a spatula into the flour mixture until just moistened.

Using very ripe bananas (black) is the key to success with a banana muffin recipe. Save up ripe bananas and freeze in a plastic bag until you have enough to make a full recipe. For a "lower fat" muffin, replace the butter in-part or all with applesauce.

Place batter into muffin cups filling each cup to three-quarters full. Divide the crumb topping evenly over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin; done when the toothpick comes out clean or touched lightly, the muffin should have a slight resistance to finger pressure.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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Croquembouche

George Hirsch December 14, 2020

A croquembouche is made of cream-filled profiteroles piled into a cone shape and bound with spun sugar. It may also be decorated with other confectionery such as chocolate, edible flowers, and Scan is covered in macarons or ganache.

The croquembouche is often attributed to Antonin Carême who includes it in his 1815 cookbook Le Pâtissier royal parisien. But it is mentioned as early as 1806, in André Viard's culinary encyclopedia Le Cuisinier Impérial, and in Antoine Beauvilliers' 1815 L'Art du Cuisinier.

Traditional Croquembouche with Spun Sugar

Pâte à Choux, Cream Puff Pastry

Makes 2 to 3 dozen depending on size

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 cup of water

4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine the water, vegetable oil, butter, milk and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cook the mixture over low heat until it dries slightly and leaves the sides of the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each one is fully absorbed before adding the next one.

Cover a baking sheet, preferably one without sides, with parchment paper.

Place the paste in a pastry bag with a round tip with a 1/2 inch opening. To make cream puffs, hold the pastry bag at a 45 degree angle touching a paper lined pan. Squeeze the bag. Continue forming the puffs 1 to 2 inches apart. To make eclairs, squeeze the bag as you pull it toward you, making 3 inch long fingers.

Place the choux in the oven, and after 5 minutes, lower the temperature to 375 degrees F. Depending on size, they will require 10 to 15 minutes total cooking time.

NOTE: If the oven door is opened before they’re almost finished baking, they will collapse, so don;t peek until 10 minutes have passed. To test for doneness, tap one on the bottom. It should sound hollow. Remove and cool on a rack.

George’s Pastry Cream

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | from KNOW YOUR FIRE Cookbook, 1997 by George Hirsch

Makes 2 pints

Pastry cream or crême patisserie is all flour-based custard used as a filling for cream puffs and eclairs. After it’s cooked, place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface or sprinkle with granulated sugar to prevent a “skin” from forming and refrigerate immediately.

1 1/2 pints milk

2 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

Combine milk, butter and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

In a separate bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, flour and orange zest and whisk until smooth.

Whisk about a cup of hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to warm it and the pour it all back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Continue to cook mixture, whisking continuously, until the cream coats a spoon, which it will do at about 190F. (If you cook it to boiling, 212F, the pastry cream will be watery and lumpy.)

Pour the cream into a bowl and place it in a larger bowl of ice water to cool it as quickly as possible. Pastry cream can be refrigerated for 2 days.

How To Fill Cream Puffs:

Wait until the puffs are cool and cut off the top third with a sharp knife. Fill the hollow bottom with a savory such as chicken or crab meat salad or sweet such as pastry cream or ice cream Replace the top and serve. If the filling is a sweet one, dust the cream puffs with confectioners’ sugar or pour chocolate sauce over the top.

When choosing chocolate, look for a shiny finish, which is a sign that the chocolate was heated at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Also, look for a crispy snap when chocolate is broken into pieces. Choose a good chocolate source for sauce like Lindt, Callebaut, or Scharffen Berger. In a pinch, chocolate chips will do. This very decadent sauce is ideal served with fresh strawberries. Note: this chocolate sauce recipe is not ideal for coating dipped strawberries. That’s another post.

Croquuembouche drizzled with Chocolate Sauce

The Best Chocolate Sauce Recipe

by Chef George Hirsch

Makes about two cups

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 Tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar

3/4 cup cream

3 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional: 1 Tablespoon Brandy or Grand Marnier Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside.

Place cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a small pot. Heat to a boil stirring constantly. As soon as it reaches a boil pour directly over chocolate and stir until all chocolate has melted. Add vanilla and brandy.

Use immediately or cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks. To reheat, heat the amount you need over a double boiler and stir until just melted.