Chilled Apple Charlotte With Raspberry Sauce

This is a WOW recipe - the kind that draws all the attention. It is a bit of work, but delicious, and worth every labour-intensive moment.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 20 -25  ladyfingers
• 4  lbs golden delicious apples, peeled and rubbed with lemon
• 4  cups water
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 7 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest, grated
• 1  vanilla bean, split

• Custard

• 2  cups milk
• 1  vanilla bean, split
• 6  egg yolks, room temperature
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 2 (1/4ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  cup  whipping cream, beaten to soft peaks
• 3  tablespoons calvados, brandy

• Raspberry Sauce

• 2  cups  thawed frozen raspberries
• 1  tablespoon kirsch
•  icing sugar

• Chantilly Cream

• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon icing sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
•  candied violet

Directions

1. Line bottom and sides of 5-cup charlotte mold or 5-cup bowl with ladyfingers, rounded side out.
2. Trim ladyfingers even with top of mold; reserve trimmings.
3. Quarter 4 apples and remove cores.
4. Cook water and sugar in large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, swirling pan occasionally.
5. Add 3 tblsps lemon juice, zest and vanilla bean and bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
7. Add apple quarters and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
8. Cool in syrup.
9. Drain apples, reserving vanilla bean for another use.
10. Finely dice half of poached apples.
11. Drain in strainer.
12. Thinly slice remaining poached apples.
13. Halve remaining uncooked apples and thinly slice.
14. Transfer to a large skillet.
15. Add remaining 4 ½ tblsps lemon juice and cook over medium heat until tender and nearly all liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
16. Puree in blender until smooth.
17. Cool completely.
18. For filling: Bring milk and vanilla bean to boil in large saucepan.
19. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
20. Remove vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
21. Return milk to boil.
22. Beat yolks and sugar in bowl until pale and thick, about 6-8 minutes.
23. Gradually whisk in milk.
24. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat with wooden spoon until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 10 minutes; do not boil or mixture will curdle.
25. Sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl to soften.
26. Set in pan of simmering water and stir until dissolved.
27. Stir into hot custard.
28. Mix in diced apples and apple puree.
29. Set saucepan in large, ice-filled bowl and stir until mixture starts to set.
30. Immediately fold in whipped cream and Calvados.
31. Spoon into prepared mold.
32. Sprinkle with ladyfinger trimmings.
33. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
34. Remove vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
35. Return milk to boil.
36. Beat yolks and sugar in bowl until pale and thick, about 6-8 minutes.
37. Gradually whisk in milk.
38. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat with wooden spoon until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 10 minutes; do not boil or mixture will curdle.
39. Sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl to soften.
40. Set in pan of simmering water and stir until dissolved.
41. Stir into hot custard.
42. Mix in diced apples and apple puree.
43. Set saucepan in large, ice-filled bowl and stir until mixture starts to set.
44. Immediately fold in whipped cream and Calvados.
45. Spoon into prepared mold.
46. Sprinkle with ladyfinger trimmings.
47. Refrigerate until firm, atleast 2 hours.
48. (can be prepared 2 days ahead to this point. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving) For sauce: Puree raspberries in blender with Kirsch and icing sugar to taste.
49. Strain and chill until ready to serve.
50. (can be prepared up to 2 days ahead) For Chantilly Cream: Beat cream, sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
51. One hour before serving, unmold charlotte onto platter.
52. Arrange poached apple slices in circle on top, overlapping slightly.
53. Spoon Chantilly into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip.
54. Pipe rosettes decoratively along base and up sides of charlotte.
55. Set violets on rosettes.
56. To serve: Spoon raspberry sauce onto plates.
57. Cut charlotte into thin slices.
58. Set slice on each plate.
59. Garnish with sauce and remaining poached apple slices.