Sharlotka - Russian Apple Cake
A charlotte is a dessert made up of a sponge cake, a bread or cookies baked with fruit or a custard. This super-moist version is an apple cake that was supposedly invented in London by a chef who worked for Czar Alexander I, the Russian ruler from 1801-1825. Hence the Russian spelling.
Whatever the origins, beating the eggs for a prolonged period turns out an airy sponge cake infused with apple flavours, for a light, delicious dessert. Many varieties of the recipe can be found online, this one adapted from Curious Cuisiniere and other sites. You can leave out the sugar, cinnamon and zest in the apples or leave out the sour cream in the batter - it's all a matter of taste. The commonality to all the recipes is that the apples are immersed in the batter, which means that every bite will be full of that wonderful apple taste. Delicious - and nutritious - because apples are good for you, aren't they?
Serving suggestions: Sprinkle the cooled cake with icing sugar or add a dollop of whipping cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Note: There are options to the way the apples and batter are placed in the baking form. Either work well.
Note: 20 minutes to make, 50-60 minutes to bake.
Serves: 8-10
Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Ingredients
3 apples, any firm variety (about 1 1/3 pound). Granny Smith apples are pictured here.
1 lemon slice (optional)
2 tablespoons white or brown sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest, minced finely (optional)
1 1/4 cup all purpose white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover the bottom of a baking form (either a 9" round or an 8" x 8" square) with parchment paper. Grease well and set aside.
Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces. If using the lemon slice, place the apple pieces into a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over them to keep them from turning brown. Toss well.
If using, add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon or orange zest to the apples. Toss well until covered and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
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.
Add the sour cream and vanilla to the eggs and mix with the electric mixer just until combined.
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 overmix.
Pouring options: Either put 2/3 of the apples in the baking form, followed by the batter. Press the batter down with a spoon or jiggle the pan so it seeps between the apples. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the apples (shown). Press them into the batter.
OR
Pour in the batter and then put all the apples on top. With a spoon, press the apples into the cake until most of them are submerged.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Let the sharlotka cool completely on a rack before removing it from the baking form and peeling off the parchment paper.
A charlotte is a dessert made up of a sponge cake, a bread or cookies baked with fruit or a custard. This super-moist version is an apple cake that was supposedly invented in London by a chef who worked for Czar Alexander I, the Russian ruler from 1801-1825. Hence the Russian spelling.
Whatever the origins, beating the eggs for a prolonged period turns out an airy sponge cake infused with apple flavours, for a light, delicious dessert. Many varieties of the recipe can be found online, this one adapted from Curious Cuisiniere and other sites. You can leave out the sugar, cinnamon and zest in the apples or leave out the sour cream in the batter - it's all a matter of taste. The commonality to all the recipes is that the apples are immersed in the batter, which means that every bite will be full of that wonderful apple taste. Delicious - and nutritious - because apples are good for you, aren't they?
Serving suggestions: Sprinkle the cooled cake with icing sugar or add a dollop of whipping cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Note: There are options to the way the apples and batter are placed in the baking form. Either work well.
Note: 20 minutes to make, 50-60 minutes to bake.
Serves: 8-10
Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Ingredients
3 apples, any firm variety (about 1 1/3 pound). Granny Smith apples are pictured here.
1 lemon slice (optional)
2 tablespoons white or brown sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest, minced finely (optional)
1 1/4 cup all purpose white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover the bottom of a baking form (either a 9" round or an 8" x 8" square) with parchment paper. Grease well and set aside.
Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces. If using the lemon slice, place the apple pieces into a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over them to keep them from turning brown. Toss well.
If using, add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon or orange zest to the apples. Toss well until covered and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
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.
Add the sour cream and vanilla to the eggs and mix with the electric mixer just until combined.
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 overmix.
Pouring options: Either put 2/3 of the apples in the baking form, followed by the batter. Press the batter down with a spoon or jiggle the pan so it seeps between the apples. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the apples (shown). Press them into the batter.
OR
Pour in the batter and then put all the apples on top. With a spoon, press the apples into the cake until most of them are submerged.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Let the sharlotka cool completely on a rack before removing it from the baking form and peeling off the parchment paper.