Charlotte

Name: Charlotte
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 8 porzioni
Cuisine: Italiana
Ingredients: Ingredienti per 8 persone; 400 g di farina; 200 g di zucchero; 200 g di burro; 4 tuorli; 1 bicchierino di marsala; la scorza grattata di limone 1 presa di sale; 1 kg di pere martin sech; 200 g di prugne secche 5 cucchiai di zucchero; ½ litro di barolo 1 scorza di limone; 1 chiodo di garofano; ½ cucchiaino di cannella in polvere

Piedmontese Charlotte with pears, dried plums and Barolo, enclosed in a crumbly shortcrust pastry and serve warm.

8 servings

Easy

Piedmont

EasyPiedmont

Charlotte is a tall baked cake, designed to enhance the fruit cooked inside a shell. shortcrust pastryThe soft pulp of pears and dried plums gains intensity thanks to the Barolo, while lemon, cinnamon and whole clove They add a distinct and distinctive aromatic note. The result plays on the contrast between the crumbly topping and the moist, dense, and fragrant filling, with a sweetness balanced by the vinous and spicy notes. Baking consolidates the pastry and makes the cake suitable for being unmolded, keeping the filling enclosed between the base, sides, and top layer. This recipe is considered a traditional Piedmontese dish.

Instructions

Voice reading

9 steps · natural Italian voice

Prepare the shortcrust pastry

Pour the flour, sugar, butter, egg yolks, Marsala, the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt In a large bowl, mix the ingredients thoroughly until you obtain a smooth, well-combined dough, with no dry residue. The dough should be compact and homogeneous.

Let the dough rest

Cover the container and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours. Let it cool completely. shortcrust pastryResting allows the butter to firm up and makes the dough easier to roll out and shape in the pan.

Prepare the fruit

Core the pears without peeling them, and pit the prunes. Reduce the fruit to the required amount for cooking, keeping the pear peel as indicated; it will be part of the filling's texture.

Cook pears and plums

Gather the fruit in one saucepan and add the Barolo, the lemon zest, the sugar, the whole clove and cinnamon. Cook over high heat until the fruit is cooked and the liquid takes on the aroma of the spices and wine.

Narrow the bottom

Continue cooking after the fruit is cooked, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate. Reduce the sauce until it reaches a thick consistency, without excess water: the filling should be moist but not runny.

Line the mold

Butter a tall baking pan. Roll out the shortcrust pastry and line the bottom and sides all the way to the edge, carefully pressing it down. Make sure the lining is continuous and without any gaps, so the filling will stay contained during cooking.

Stuff and close

Fill the mold to the brim with the cooked fruit and its narrow bottom. Cover with a disk of shortcrust pastry and seal the edges well, pressing the pastry along the perimeter to completely close the cake.

Cook the charlotte

40 min

Bake at 180°C (356°F) for about 40 minutes. Check for doneness when the surface appears cooked and golden and the shortcrust pastry It is well-consolidated along the edges. Maintain the indicated temperature to avoid uneven cooking.

Unmold and serve

Remove the charlotte from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes, so the crust can firm up. Carefully invert it onto a serving plate and serve warm, once the pastry is firm and the filling has retained the aromas of fruit, wine, and spices.

Chef's Tips

The editorial staff recommends to narrow down the pan juices of the fruit before filling, so the shortcrust pastry it remains compact and the cake can be unmolded without excess moisture.