Charlotte Malakoff Recipes

CHARLOTTE MALAKOFF

Steps:

• Advance Preparations: Prepare Sponge Ladyfingers but pipe through a ½-inch (#6) open decorating tip that has been flattened from its round shape to almost an oval by being pinched between the thumb and forefinger. (Altering the tip is permanent but worth it for this dessert. The ladyfingers will bake wider but thinner than usual so they will fit next to each other more neatly in the container.) If you freeze the ladyfingers, you can line your container with them as they are. They will defrost quickly.
• Toast the 1 ounce of sliced almonds on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Preparing the Mold: Tear off a piece of foil 16 inches long. Fold it in half and then in half again. Fit this strip down inside the contour of the sand bucket, leaving a few inches of overhang on both sides of the container.
• Trace the container's bottom, and cut circles of waxed paper and stiff cardboard to fit the bottom. Place the cardboard in the bottom on top of the foil; then put the waxed paper circle on top of the cardboard. (The bottom need not be covered-it will become the decorated top later.)
• Arrange the ladyfingers slightly overlapping each other around the inside of the bucket. When fitting the last ladyfinger into the bucket, tuck it behind the one next to it. In this way all the ladyfingers are overlapping, with no evidence of which is the first and which is the last in the mold. Now gently push the ladyfingers from their upright position so they fit diagonally into the bucket. This is easy; one ladyfinger will follow the other.
• Making the Filling: Grind the almonds in a nut grinder or other rotary-type mill until they have the consistency of cornmeal. You need 1½ cups ground.
• Place the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. With the flat beater (paddle) attachment, cream the butter on medium speed (#5) until it is lighter in color, clings to the sides of the bowl, and has a satiny appearance (as though it were a cake batter), about 30 to 45 seconds.
• Maintaining the same speed, add all the sugar in a steady stream. Then stop the mixer, and scrape the mixture clinging to the sides into the center of the bowl. Continue creaming until the mixture is almost white in color and fluffy in texture, with almost no feeling of grittiness when rubbed between the thumb and forefinger (about 4 to 5 minutes). Maintaining the same speed, gradually (teaspoon by teaspoon) pour in the kirsch, vanilla, and almond extract, whipping for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in the ground almonds with a rubber spatula until they are incorporated.
• Using an electric hand mixer, whip the 1 cup cream to the Chantilly stage, or until it clings softly to the beaters. It should be thick enough to create swirls in the bowl but liquid enough to move if the bowl is tilted. Fold it into the butter-almond mixture with the rubber spatula.
• Assembling the Dessert: Spoon the filling into the ladyfinger-lined mold. Tap it lightly on the counter to settle the filling into the container. Cover with foil and refrigerate until firm.
• Remove the foil cover and pull the foil strips up, lifting them to loosen the dessert. When you are assured the mold is free from the container, place a serving plate on top. Invert the dessert onto it, and remove the container, foil strips, cardboard, and waxed paper circle. If any loose powdered sugar falls from the ladyfingers onto the serving plate, remove it with a clean pastry brush.
• Finishing the Dessert: Whip the ½ cup cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form and the beaters make softly closing tracks. Place in the pastry bag, fitted with the #5A decorating tip. Pipe one layer of star-shaped rosettes to cover the surface, then pipe another row over the first and then another row on top of the second.
• Decorate by sticking the toasted sliced almonds in the cream.
• Serving the Dessert: Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. To serve, slice in half horizontally with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion. Place this top half on another plate and cut wedges for your servings. Spoon a small dollop of whipped cream next to each serving.

CHARLOTTE MALAKOFF

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 F (205 C). Line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Using an electric beater, mix together 4 egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale in color. Beat in the vanilla flavouring. Sift the flour and baking powder together on a sheet of wax paper. Fold in 1/2 of the egg whites to the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Then fold in 1/2 of the flour mixture to the egg yolks. Repeat, adding the rest of the egg whites and then the remainder of the flour to the egg yolks. The mixture should be thick and airy. Transfer the mixture to the a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round opening. Pipe the ladyfingers onto the prepared baking sheet, making them 4 inches long and 1 inch wide (you could also spoon them onto the tray). Dust the tops of the ladyfingers with confectioner's sugar. Bake for 8 minutes until they turn light brown. Remove from oven and transfer immediately to a wire wrack to cool.
• Hull the strawberries, wash and set aside. Combine 2/3 cup water and1/3 cup orange liqueur in a soup plate or other flat container. Dip each ladyfinger quickly into this mixture and let drain on a wire rack. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth, using electric beaters. Add the orange liqueur, almond extract and pulverised almonds (I used my food processor to grind the almonds to a fine consistency). In a separate bowl, whip the cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Gradually fold in the cream into the butter and almond mixture.(Julia folds her cream in by working the spatula from the outside of the bowl towards the center). The mixture should be thick and airy: do not over-mix. Line the bottom of the mold with unbuttered wax paper. Line the sides of the mold with the ladyfingers placed closely together, rounded sides facing outwards. Fill the inside of the mold with 1/2 of the almond/cream mixture. Place a layer of strawberries on top of the mixture, heads facing down. Place a layer of ladyfingers on top of the strawberries, placing them closely together. Add another layer of the almond/cream mixture, almost to the top of the mold. Add another layer of strawberries and finish with layer of ladyfingers. Trim the tips of the ladyfingers so they lie flat with the edge of the mold. (This will wind up being the bottom of your Charlotte cake, so it doesn't matter what it looks like here)! Place a round piece of wax paper on top of the ladyfingers, cover with a plate and then add a heavy weight on top of the plate. (I placed a can of beans on top, while Julia placed a large glass of water). Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight; this chills the butter firm so the dessert will not collapse when unmolded. When ready to serve, remove the waxed paper and run a knife closely around the edge of the mold. Reverse onto a chilled serving plate and remove the remaining piece of waxed paper. Decorate with rosettes of whipped cream and strawberries.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Steps:

• In a chilled bowl, whip the cream until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla. Whip to soft, fluffy peaks, about 2 minutes.
• FOR THE CAKE: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a 12-slot muffin tin with large paper or foil cupcakes liners.
• Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together--three times. Form a well in the center and add the oil, egg yolks, sherry, and apple juice concentrate. On low speed, mix together, just until blended.
• In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinches of salt and cream of tartar until creamy, foamy, and barely able to hold peaks, about 2 minutes. While sprinkling in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, whisk until the egg whites have the consistency of shaving cream.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Fold in the remainder of the whites. Fill the cups of the muffin tin no more than 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for 16 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.
• Cut 12 (2 1/4-inch) circles and 12 (2 by 8 1/2-inch) bands out of glossy card stock. Wrap the bands around the circles to form cups and secure with tape or decorative ribbon. Do not tape any part of the circle. It must remain free to move.
• FOR THE FILLING: Mix the preserves and apple juice until smooth. Split the cakes into 2 layers. Spread 1 teaspoon of the preserves in between layers. Place the cakes in the paper holders so that the cake top is even with the paper rim.
• Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a star tip, with whipped cream. Pipe it to rise 1-inch above the paper rims. Top each with a strawberry.