In the 1890s, even ruffians at lowlife dives (the better sort of lowlife dive, anyway) were said to order what they called “charley ross.” In “Directions for Cookery” (1851), Philadelphia-based Eliza Leslie remarked that charlotte russe was generally served at large parties, “and it is usual to have two or four of them.”Īt the end of the 1870s, the classic recipe with added egg whites showed up, and after that, there was not only a deluge of recipes but the dish also began appearing on restaurant menus. Charlotte quickly became de rigueur in Europe and America. Vanilla started appearing in ice cream and custard - and above all in charlotte russe. But in 1841, a freed slave named Edmond Albius invented a technique for pollinating vanilla which made it possible to mass-produce it. In Careme’s time, vanilla was still a very rare and expensive ingredient, gathered wild in Mexico. Later in the 19th century, chefs would incorporate beaten egg whites as well, giving it a supernal lightness. His version was essentially a more substantial version of whipped cream, enriched with custard and stiffened with gelatin. They just liked to make them fancier.Īs it happens, Careme had also invented Bavarian cream (named for an aristocratic patron, not for Bavaria). What was a French chef doing adapting an English dessert? Apart from the fact that Careme had recently worked for the future George IV of England, French chefs had no qualms in those days about cooking English desserts such as “le pouding” and “le plomb-gateau” (plum cake). He originally called it charlotte a la parisienne the “a la russe” part is assumed to have been tacked on around 1818 to honor the visiting czar of Russia, and possibly with the idea that the white Bavarian cream represented Russia, which the French imagined to be perpetually covered with snow. The royal family took a keen interest in agriculture the king was known as “Farmer George” and Charlotte was a patron of apple growers.Ĭharlotte russe was developed from the fruit charlotte by Antonin Careme, the father of French haute cuisine. It’s assumed that apple charlotte was named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III of England. Instead of ladyfingers, stale cake or bread was often used for lining the mold. In place of a luxurious cream filling, their centers were stewed fruit, usually apples. They were nowhere near as glamorous as charlotte russe, though. The earliest versions, which date from about 200 years ago, were actually baked in this mold. What makes a charlotte a charlotte is that it’s shaped in a distinctive flowerpot mold. Today, as in the 19th century, charlotte russe is gloriously statuesque, reaching the loftiest heights a Bavarian can without compromising its plush, delicate texture. The ladyfingers edging the Bavarian make it neater and far easier to unmold, and it’s just grander that way. So why not simply serve the Bavarian? Why turn it into a charlotte? Two reasons. The lush Bavarian cream is the part that amazes people. The only part that involves real cooking is the filling, Bavarian cream - another dessert that’s in unjustified eclipse. (Keep this quiet.) You can buy the ladyfingers. Queen charlotte is actually quite forgiving. Here’s the thing: You don’t have to be a trained patissier to make a charlotte russe. Any fruit you like is welcome in a charlotte.
CHARLOTT RUSE UPDATE
Let’s update it with sophisticated partners such as espresso, bitter chocolate, liqueurs and all the riches of our farmers markets: mulberries, blood oranges, Fuyu persimmons, pluots. The classic version is flavored with vanilla and served with fruit, but let’s reconceive it for a new century. A charlotte russe is an impressive thing, a stately ziggurat of a dessert, upholstered with ladyfingers and filled with a pudding as light as a cloud. And in case you hadn’t noticed, vanilla has become a luxury ingredient again.īut she didn’t rise by charm alone. She remains one of the grandest vehicles for vanilla’s alluring flavor. It’s time to bring back that golden age, when ladyfingers were ladyfingers and desserts did not shrink from simple grandeur.Ī century and a half ago, charlotte russe swept the world and taught it to crave vanilla, spelling an end to centuries of flavoring desserts with rosewater. What ever became of charlotte russe? Once upon a time, she was the queen of desserts.
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