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Fluffy Apple Charlotte in the Oven – Classic Recipe
Instructions
Crack the chilled eggs (straight from the fridge) into a deep, dry bowl, add a pinch of salt and the vanilla. Salt helps the eggs whip into a firmer foam – a small but important culinary trick. Whisk with a mixer into a fluffy white foam for 5–7 minutes, gradually adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time. You should end up with a dense white mass that has tripled or quadrupled in volume.
Sift the flour together with the baking powder through a fine-mesh sieve straight into the egg foam – this way the flour is saturated with air and the batter turns out light. Without stopping whisking on the lowest speed (or gently folding with a silicone spatula from the bottom up), bring the batter to a smooth, uniform texture in 1–2 minutes. Do not overmix – the gluten will make the charlotte rubbery.
Peel the apples and remove the cores. Cut them into neat 5–7 mm slices and arrange them in a baking dish greased with butter. Use tart-sweet varieties such as Antonovka or Semerenko – these are the ones that give the characteristic charlotte flavour with a pleasant tartness. Sweet red apples will make the charlotte cloying.
Pour the batter over the prepared apples in an even layer. Place in an oven preheated to 180 °C and bake for 25–30 minutes. Check for doneness with a wooden skewer – it should come out dry when pierced. It is critically important not to open the door for the first 20 minutes, otherwise the charlotte will collapse from the change in temperature.
The fragrant, fluffy apple charlotte is ready! Take it out of the oven and let it cool in the dish for 10–15 minutes before turning it out – a hot charlotte is too fragile. Serve with tea, coffee or milk.
Tips
- 1
Use tart-sweet apples of the Antonovka or Semerenko varieties – these are the ones that give the classic charlotte flavour with just the right tartness.
- 2
The eggs should be well chilled – this way the foam comes out far fluffier and the charlotte will not sink after baking.
- 3
Grease the dish with butter or dust it with semolina – this way the cake comes out of the dish easily. I bake an apple pie on a similar principle.
- 4
Do not open the oven door for the first 20 minutes – the charlotte may sink from the change in temperature and all your effort will be wasted.
FAQ
What can I use instead of baking powder? +
Use 0.5 tsp of baking soda slaked with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (add the soda straight into the flour and the acid into the eggs). You can do without any leavening at all – provided you have whisked the eggs really well into a dense, stable foam. On a foam like that the charlotte will rise even without a chemical leavener, which is exactly how our grandmothers used to make it. An alternative is baking powder, taken in the same proportion. The main thing is freshness – expired baking powder does not work.
Can I use other fruits instead of apples? +
Yes, pears work very well (more delicate and sweet), as does quince (firm and fragrant, it needs a little more sugar), plums (they give a lovely colour and tartness), peaches (a juicy summer option) and apricots. The baking time may change slightly: with pears, about 5 minutes longer; with peaches, the same. You can make a mixed version: 50% apples and 50% other fruit. Frozen berries (cherries, raspberries, blueberries) also work – do not defrost them, just put them straight into the dish.
Why does the charlotte sink after baking? +
The main reasons are: opening the oven door abruptly in the first 20 minutes (the change in temperature kills the airiness), under-whisked eggs (not enough fluffiness), too high a baking temperature (the crust sets before the middle is cooked through), and a cold oven when loading (the batter does not have time to rise before the crust forms). The charlotte can also sink from a draught – do not open the windows in the kitchen while it is baking. Following all of these rules guarantees a fluffy charlotte.
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