Friday, November 30, 2012

Apple Charlotte

Recently when I attended a tribute to Julia Child Past and Present on her 100th birthday, I was introduced to Apple Charlotte. Chef Katsu made it for us, because it was one of Julia's favorite.  This is the one that we ate: 
I absolutely loved it. So I set out to re-create one that was gluten-free and scrumptious. I started with my Gluten-Free Baguette recipe. Because I needed a light bread that was not grainy. After I made the bread, I put it in the fridge to harden so that it would be easy to cut super thin. Next I took out my mandoline and sliced my bread into super thin 1/8inch slices. 
This is the starting point for this recipe. 
Gluten-Free Apple Charlotte
6 granny smith apples
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup spiced rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 TBSP butter
1 small lemon
1/2 baguette sliced thin
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Butter

Cook apples covered in a heavy bottom pan on medium low heat. Stir occasionally. Once the apples look like a really thick chunky applesauce, add sugar, rum, butter and vanilla. Raise temperature to a high heat and bring to a boil. Stir until a thick applesauce. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and stir. 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Now it is time to assemble your Apple Charlotte. Melt a stick of butter in a medium bowl. Set up a dipping station with butter and with sugar. 
Dip each piece of bread into the butter, make sure it is fully coated. 
Now dip the buttery bread into a bowl of sugar. Coat both sides generously with sugar.
Place sugared, buttered slices into ring molds, or custard cups, or you can even use a cupcake tin. 
Repeat until all your molds are filled. This recipe makes 8, but only 4 are pictured here. 
Now fill the center with the prepared apple mash you made. 
Next I prepared the apple roses for the top. This might seem like something that is difficult, but I promise to you that it is very easy. 
I brought out my mandoline again and cut the apple slices very very thin.
Now I shaped mine in a cupcake pan. You can shape them directly on top of your apple charlotte's but this was my first time, and I really wanted to make sure to do it right. Layer the thin slices overlapping them forming a rose like this:
Sprinkle a little sugar over the top of the assembled roses.
Next place the roses and the charlotte's in the oven for 15 minutes. Pull out the apple base.
Then gently place the roses on top.
Now you can serve them just like this. They are quite tasty. Or you can serve with whipped cream, creme anglaise, or even ice cream. But I was ambitious and wanted to serve them over an eggnog foam.
I got this super cool molecular gastronomy kit called Cuisine R-evolution.
I love new toys! So I decided to play around and make egg nog foam. It was super easy. 
This is the method I used that I got directly from the Molecular Gastronomy website:
It was easy and went so good with my apple charlotte!
This is my new favorite recipe, and that kit is my new favorite toy!
You can get one here: http://molecule-r.com/
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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Current Giveaways


I have so many giveaways going on right now, I wanted to give you a giveaway round-up. 
Some of them are ending very soon!
Don't forget to enter active giveaways before it is too late!
Just added: 
Giveaway 
Namaste Spice Cake Mix
Enter Here
Ends December 6th

Giveaway 
Chip Maker
Enter Here
Ends November 30th
Giveaway
Big Boss Juicer

Enter Here
Ends December 1st



Giveaway 
Tovolo Smiley Spatulas
Enter Here
Ends December 2nd

Giveaway 
Table Tops Unlimited
Self Basting Pan
Enter Here
Ends December 1st

Giveaway
Healthy Steps Products
Enter Here
Ends December 3rd

Giveaway 
Core Defender Meals
Enter Here
Ends December 1st

Giveaway
Rosanna Dessert Pedestal
Enter Here
Ends December 4th

Giveaway
Venice Bakery Pizza Crusts
Enter Here
Ends December 4th

Giveaway 
Nambe Sunburst Dinnerware
Enter Here
Ends December 5th

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes and a Giveaway

 
Making pumpkin spice cupcakes are easier now more than ever, thanks to Namaste Foods. Namaste Foods is a small (but growing!) manufacturer of fine foods that contain no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, dairy, casein, peanuts or tree nuts.  Perfect for those of you with multiple food allergies, but good enough for those without allergies too! Today I am giving you the opportunity to win the Namaste Foods Spice Cake Mix




Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 Namaste Foods Gluten-Free Spice Cake Mix
4 eggs
2/3 cups pumpkin puree
1/3 cup Olive Oil
2/3 cup water




Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line your cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.
Combine Cake mix, eggs, pumpkin puree, and water.
Mix until fully blended.
Fill each cupcake liner 2/3rds full. 
Place in preheated oven.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove and let cool.
Once the cupcakes were cool. I topped mine with my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread and it was to die for! 
You can get the recipe for that here.
Now if the recipe wasn't good enough. I have something even better! 

Giveaway is over, Congrads Kendra Mitchell! You are the winner!

This Giveaway is open to readers 18 years or older with U.S. or Canada shipping addresses only. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Winners are generated via the random number generator software program. Winners must respond within 5 days or the prize will be forfeited.
This giveaway will run for 7 days starting Thursday November 29th ending Thursday December 6th. Winner to be announced December 7th. Stay tuned! I have a lot of great giveaways coming your way!

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