Mini-Apple Charlottes

Source: Woman's Day Magazine

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
• 3  tablespoons rum or 3  tablespoons water
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 7  golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  orange juice
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  tablespoon  grated orange zest
• 24  slices  very thin sliced firm  white bread, crusts trimmed (we used Pepperidge Farm)
• 1  cup light vanilla ice cream, melted (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. You will need a jumbo muffin tin or six 10-oz ramekins.
3. Toss cranberries and 2 Tbsp rum in small bowl; set aside.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp butter in a deep 12-in. skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add apples, sugar and orange juice; cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until apples are tender but still maintain their shape.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in 1/3 cup of the soaked cranberries, the vanilla and zest.
8. Melt remaining butter in bowl.
9. Using a 3-in. biscuit or cookie cutter, cut a circle from 6 bread slices.
10. Brush butter onto one side of each circle and place buttered-side down into each cup or ramekin.
11. Cut remaining bread slices crosswise into thirds; brush with butter.
12. Line each cup with 9 bread rectangles placed vertically, buttered side against cup (bread will extend over top). (For a how-to, see womansday.com/charlottes).
13. Divide apple mixture among cups.
14. Fold bread over filling, gently pressing.
15. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.
16. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes.
17. Using an offset spatula, lift charlottes from cups.
18. Sprinkle with the remaining soaked cranberries.
19. If using, stir melted ice cream and remaining Tbsp rum, and serve on side.