When it comes to dessert, chef Matt Bolus of The 404 Kitchen tends to riffand, in the winter, that means playing with the flavors of apple pie. Using varieties of apples and pears that are still lingering in mid-winter, like Gold Rush or Anjou, he creates this tasty finale by melding the flavors of pie and ice cream into a version of the classic charlotte, which is a cake or trifle molded with bread.
'It's not the charlotte you think of with pressed bread,” Bolus stresses. 'But, we thought, Let's marry these two things and do an open-faced charlotte-pie,” he says, noting that this version might be more approachable to home cooks.
Don't get hung up on the type of bread, he says. Challah, or anything dense and sturdy, works just as well as brioche. And, if you do go with brioche, he says don't mess around with making it yourself. 'Buy itpreferably from Dozen Bakery,” he adds.
>>> In Season: Turnips
Apple Pear Charlotte
Courtesy of Chef Matt Bolus, The 404 Kitchen
Serves 4
Ingredients for Zabaglione:
1 cup sherry, medium dry
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Ice
1 cup cream, whipped to medium peak
Directions:
Bring sherry to a simmer in a small saucepan, and set aside, but keep warm. Over a double boiler, whisk 8 egg yolks gradually adding sugar, slowly at first. Then add the warm sherry, also gradually, whisking constantly, taking care not to cook the yolks completely. The yolk mixture should double in volume and turn pale in color. When this happens, cool the mixture by whisking over a bowl of ice. Fold in whipped cream. Freeze or chill.
Ingredients for Apples: 3 cups sugar 1 vanilla bean, split 1½ pounds of firm apples and pears, sliced (a mix of Gold Rush and Anjou are preferred) Dash of fresh nutmeg Zest from 1 orange 1 teaspoon salt 12 slices of brioche or challah, cut into ½-inch slices Brown butter
Directions:
In a large sauté pan, over high heat, cook the sugar with the vanilla bean. Do not disturb the sugar at first. This will cause it to crystallize. When you see the sugar begin to turn amber in the pan, slowly start to stir. (Be patient.) When all of the sugar in the pan is dark amber, add the fruit. Reduce the heat, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes over medium heat. Add the nutmeg, orange zest, and salt. When a pairing knife easily penetrates the fruit, use a slotted spoon to remove the fruit from the pan, reserving the liquid.
In another large pan, sauté the brioche or challah slices in brown butter; then coat the bread lightly with caramel jus from the apple/pear sauté. Arrange warm fruit in serving bowls, arranging bread slices around. Top with frozen or chilled zabaglione and, if you like, caramel jus.