Luscious Chocolate Charlotte Russe Recipes

LUSCIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange two racks in center of oven. Line bottoms of three 9-by-2-inch buttered cake pans with parchment; butter again. Dust bottoms and sides with cocoa; tap out excess. Sift cocoa into a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Set aside to cool.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, scraping down sides twice. Beat in vanilla.
• Add eggs, a third at a time, beating after each addition. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and reserved cocoa mixture a little at a time, starting and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans; spread with an offset spatula until level.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans if necessary, until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, and return to rack to cool, tops up.
• Trim cake layers until level. Place one layer of cake on a cardboard cake round. Spread about 1 1/4 cups whipped ganache on cake; top with a second cake. Repeat. Spread remaining whipped ganache evenly over top and sides of cake to seal in crumbs and form a smooth surface. Chill until crumb coat is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place cake (still on the cardboard cake round) on a wire rack set in a baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over cake to fully coat, shaking pan gently to help spread ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the baking pan may be strained through a fine sieve and added back into glaze. Pour remaining glaze over cake; allow excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan, or run an offset spatula quickly over surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Filling: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar.
• Bring 1/4 cup cream and remaining 1/4 cup milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add one-third of cream mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add remaining cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly; return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with chocolate; let stand until softened, 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; let cool completely.
• Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream to soft peaks and gently fold into custard. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, up to 1 day.
• Ladyfingers and Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pencil and ruler, make a template that will be the guide for piping ladyfingers and cake layers: On a piece of parchment, draw two sets of parallel lines spaced 3 1/2 inches apart. On a second piece of parchment, trace three 5-inch circles. Place each piece of parchment, pencil-side down, on an unrimmed baking sheet. Sift together flour and 1/4 cup cocoa into a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and vanilla on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. In a separate bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg-yolk mixture into egg-white mixture, then fold in flour mixture in three additions. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
• Pipe ladyfingers crosswise onto prepared templates, spacing 1/4 inch apart (you'll need about 16), then pipe cake rounds, starting in center of each circle and spiraling outward until you reach edge of template. Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa and confectioners' sugar; sift over cake rounds. Bake ladyfingers and cake rounds until firm and springy, about 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Assembly: Place a 6-by-3-inch cake ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet; line ring with a 20-by-3-inch parchment strip to form a collar. Bring rum and granulated sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Place ladyfingers standing upright inside of ring, with domed sides facing out (use just enough to fit snugly). Place one cake layer at bottom of ring. Brush ladyfingers and cake with rum syrup. Pour half of chocolate filling into cake ring and top with a second cake layer. Brush cake with syrup and top with remaining chocolate filling. Top with final cake layer and brush with syrup. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, whisk cream and confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Carefully remove charlotte from bottom piece of parchment and transfer, still in cake ring, to serving platter. Remove ring and gently peel off parchment strip. Dollop whipped cream on top of cake and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

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.

ORANGE CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Steps:

• 1. Line the inside edge of a 9-inch springform pan with split ladyfingers standing on end, like making a round fence. Sprinkle them with liqueur.
• 2. In the top of a double boiler, blend the gelatin and sugar.
• 3. To the contents of the double boiler, add the milk and egg yolks. Using a rotary beater, blend the mixture thoroughly. Over simmering water, cook the custard, stirring constantly, until it coats a metal spoon. Transfer it at once to a large mixture bowl.
• 4. Stir in the orange rind, juice, and orange juice concentrate (thawed). Chill mixture until it just begins to set, perhaps an hour. If you wait too long, it won't mix properly.
• 5. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into the springform pan, taking care that the ladyfingers remain upright. Chill the Charlotte Russe for at least 6 hours, or until thoroughly set. Umold the dessert onto a chilled serving plate and offer it in wedges (as you would cut a cake). The Charlotte Russe may be embellished with candied orange zest, if desired.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Steps:

• Place milk in a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften and heat over low heat until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream with 1 cup of the sugar until firm peaks form when beaters are raised. Set aside.
• Place egg yolks in a large bowl and gradually beat in remaining sugar. Beat at high speed several minutes, until mixture is thick and pale yellow. Stir in gelatin and bourbon. With a rubber spatula, fold in 1 1/84 of the cream to lighten the mixture; then fold in the remaining cream.
• In another large bowl, with clean beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form when beaters are raised; fold into cream mixture. Line an 8-cup charlotte mold with ladyfingers (preferably homemade), spoon in the cream mixture and chill until set.

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Steps:

• Line 8" springform pan with ladyfingers-rounded sides against pan.
• In saucepan mix gelatin, sugar & salt. Stir in milk, place over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin & sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat & let cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla. Fold in whipped cream & pour into pan.
• Chill until firm-about 2 hours.
• Remove pan & garnish with chocolate curls, maraschino cherries, whipped cream.

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.

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatine over first amount of milk in medium saucepan. Let stand for 1 minute. Heat and stir until gelatine is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil. Cool slightly.
• Stir first amount of sugar, cocoa and salt in small bowl. Add egg yolks, second amount of milk and vanilla. Stir into boiling milk until just thickened. Set saucepan in ice water. Stir mixture frequently as it cools. Chill, stirring and scraping down sides often, until mixture will mound slightly. This thickens quickly.
• Beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in second amount of sugar until stiff. Fold into gelatine mixture. Fold in whipped topping or whipped cream.
• cut 1 inch (2.5 cm) off 1 end of each ladyfinger. Stand enough ladyfingers, rounded or sugared side out and cut end down, around inside edge of greased 10 inch (25 cm) springform pan. Lay remaining ladyfingers and pieces in bottom of pan in single layer, breaking to fit. Spoon filling into pan, keeping ladyfingers from falling over. Chill for at least 4 hours.
• NOTE: You can purchase cream stabilizer which you sprinkle over the whipping cream prior to whipping. This will enable you to use whipping cream in this recipe, or also to frost cakes without fear of the whipping cream separating, or breaking after a few hours.