Charlotte with apples and lemon
8 servings
35 minutes
Apple and lemon charlotte is a classic European dessert that impresses with its lightness and tenderness. Its roots trace back to French cuisine, where it was originally made with liqueur and sponge cake. Over time, the recipe simplified and became accessible to everyone. Apples add juiciness and natural sweetness to the pie, while lemon zest adds a fresh, slightly tangy note that transforms the flavor into a harmonious blend of fruits and spices. The warm aroma of cinnamon makes the baked good especially cozy. This charlotte is perfect for family breakfasts, friendly tea gatherings, or cozy evenings with a book. It can be served warm or chilled and sometimes complemented with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or light cream. The simplicity of preparation and availability of ingredients have made this pie a favorite in many homes around the world.
1
We take four small eggs, or three if they are large (many make charlotte with 6–8 eggs, which makes the dough dense and, in my opinion, tasteless). We mix them (not just the yolks, but all the eggs — no time to waste) with a glass of sugar.
- Chicken egg: 4 pieces
- Sugar: 1 glass
2
Add a cup of sifted flour and half a packet of baking powder, mix with a mixer.
- Wheat flour: 1 glass
- Baking powder: 1 tablespoon
3
Preheat the oven to 200–220 degrees and place the aluminum pan inside to heat up.
4
We wash the apples, peel them, cut them into quarters, and remove the core with seeds. We slice them quite thinly. You can't skimp on the apples — they should fill at least half of the baking dish. Otherwise, you'll end up with dough with bits, not an apple charlotte.
- Apple: 5 piece
5
Take a lemon and either grate the zest or finely chop a small piece with the pulp. We don't need much — just the citrus aroma, not a lemon pie. Mix it with the apples.
- Lemon zest: to taste
6
Here it's optional where to add cinnamon — to the apples or into the dough. The difference will be in the color of the dough — if you want it darker, add it to the dough.
- Ground cinnamon: to taste
7
Take a heated pan, grease it with a little oil, and sprinkle with semolina — then our pie won't burn, it will be easy to remove, and the bottom won't be sticky from the apples.
- Butter: to taste
- Semolina: 1 teaspoon
8
Spread and level the apples, pour the batter over them, which will spread (that's what the egg whites are for) and fill all the space evenly, even between the apples. We'll give it two to three minutes (you can wash the dishes).
9
We put it in the oven for about twenty minutes. If readiness is not determined by smell and visual inspection, a match will help — you need to poke the dough, and if it's liquid, poke it again and wait.
10
The finished charlotte can be lifted at the edges with a spatula and flipped onto a plate (or, for aesthetics, a cake stand) of the appropriate size. Then you can do a trick like with a pancake — toss it and flip it. It can be served in any form, but it's better to let it cool.