Best Charlotte Russe Dessert Recipes

CHARLOTTE RUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Zest both lemons. Set zest aside. Juice lemons until you have 1/4 cup juice. Mix juice with 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 sprigs thyme in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, stir together gelatin with water and set aside to soften. In a large saucepan, combine milk, reserved lemon zest, and 3 sprigs of thyme. Place over medium heat. While milk is heating, whisk together yolks and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until lightened in color, about 2 minutes. When milk is steaming but not yet boiling, remove thyme and slowly whisk in half of the milk mixture into yolk mixture. Once combined, whisk in remaining milk before returning to saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in lemon curd and bloomed gelatin. Continue whisking until gelatin is fully dissolved and mixture has thickened to coat the back of a spoon. Strain into a large bowl to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While custard cools, line the side of a 9-inch springform pan with a strip of parchment paper or acetate wide enough to come up over the edge. Take 24 of the lady finger halves and cut off the rounded edge of one end of the lady fingers so that they're flat and make a 90° angle with the long side of the lady finger. Line the side of the pan with these lady fingers by standing them side-by-side and up straight so the cut flat bottoms are flush with the bottom of the pan. Once the perimeter is tightly packed, line the bottom with the remaining lady fingers, pressing them close together so there are no spaces in the base. Remove fresh thyme from reserved lemon-thyme syrup, and brush the lady fingers evenly with all of the syrup. Evenly spread blackberry jam across the base of the cake. Cut half of the blackberries in half lengthwise and place them face down on top of the blackberry jam.
• Once custard has cooled, whip 1 cup cream to medium peaks. Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the custard. Once well incorporated, fold the remaining whipped cream into the custard mixture. Pour into prepared pan, using a spatula to level the mixture inside the pan. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for 4 hours (or overnight) until set.
• Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream with powdered sugar. Remove the side of the springform pan and parchment paper. Surround the perimeter of the top of the cake with remaining blackberries. Dust with powdered sugar. Fill the rest of the center by decoratively piping the whipped cream. Finish with a sprinkling of thyme leaves.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Steps:

• Soften gelatin in a tablespoon or so of cold water in a bowl. Completely dissolve gelatin in milk. Let it sit while you prepare rest of filling, stirring it every now and again to keep gelatin from separating and settling to bottom.
• Sweeten two cups of the cream with 1 cup of the sugar and beat it with a handheld electric mixer until it is fairly stiff. Add vanilla and fold it in. Stir in dissolved gelatin and gently but thoroughly fold it into whipped cream and set it aside.
• Cut cake into ladyfinger-sized pieces, about 1/2 inch thick by 1 inch in width and as long as your mold is deep. Line bottom and sides of a 3-quart mold or bowl with cake, being sure that there are no gaps in it. Hold back enough of cake to cover top of mold or bowl. Sprinkle cake with sherry and spread it with a thin layer of jam or fruit preserves, if using.
• Beat egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks with a handheld electric mixer, then fold thoroughly into whipped cream and gelatin filling. Spoon filling into cake-lined mold, making sure there are no gaps or air pockets between filling and cake. Press reserved cake on top of filling.
• Chill until cream is set, 4 to 6 hours. When you are ready to serve, gently run a knife around edges of mold to make sure that the Charlotte has not stuck to it, then invert onto plate. Carefully lift off mold.
• Lightly sweeten remaining 1 cup cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until it is stiff. If you like, you can put it into a pastry bag and pipe it onto the Charlotte, or simply spoon it on, using it to cover any gaps or splits in outer layer of cake. Garnish with fresh fruit.

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.

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.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE DE RASPBERRY

Steps:

• Grease 9-inch springform pan with butter. Split ladyfingers lengthwise. Sprinkle cut surfaces with liqueur. Place ladyfingers around sides and in bottom of buttered pan (cut sides facing center and top of pan).
• In small saucepan, combine water and gelatin; let stand 2 minutes to soften. Heat mixture over low heat until gelatin dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and raspberries; beat with wire whisk until frothy. Refrigerate 15 minutes or just until mixture begins to thicken.
• Gently fold cooled raspberry mixture into whipped cream. Pour into ladyfinger-lined pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or until mixture is set.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Place butter in shallow baking pan. Place pan in oven for 1 to 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Add almonds; stir until well coated. Bake at 350°F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until almonds are light golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar; stir to coat. Cool completely.
• In small bowl, combine 1/2 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Garnish top of dessert with whipped cream and sugared almonds. Store in refrigerator.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE DESSERT

Steps:

• Place half the ladyfingers on bottom of 9-inch springform pan, cutting as needed to completely cover bottom of pan. Stand remaining ladyfingers, rounded-sides out and flat-sides in, around edge of pan; set aside.
• Sprinkle gelatine over 1/2 cup milk in large bowl; let stand 1 min. Bring remaining milk and 1 cup sugar to boil in saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour over gelatine mixture. Add vanilla; stir 5 min. or until gelatine is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour or until slightly thickened, stirring every 10 to 15 min.
• Beat gelatine mixture with mixer until light, fluffy and increased in volume. Add COOL WHIP; beat on low speed until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.
• Toss berries with remaining sugar; let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally. Spoon over dessert.