Praline Charlotte Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Filling: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar.
• Bring 1/4 cup cream and remaining 1/4 cup milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add one-third of cream mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add remaining cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly; return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with chocolate; let stand until softened, 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; let cool completely.
• Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream to soft peaks and gently fold into custard. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, up to 1 day.
• Ladyfingers and Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pencil and ruler, make a template that will be the guide for piping ladyfingers and cake layers: On a piece of parchment, draw two sets of parallel lines spaced 3 1/2 inches apart. On a second piece of parchment, trace three 5-inch circles. Place each piece of parchment, pencil-side down, on an unrimmed baking sheet. Sift together flour and 1/4 cup cocoa into a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and vanilla on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. In a separate bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg-yolk mixture into egg-white mixture, then fold in flour mixture in three additions. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
• Pipe ladyfingers crosswise onto prepared templates, spacing 1/4 inch apart (you'll need about 16), then pipe cake rounds, starting in center of each circle and spiraling outward until you reach edge of template. Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa and confectioners' sugar; sift over cake rounds. Bake ladyfingers and cake rounds until firm and springy, about 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Assembly: Place a 6-by-3-inch cake ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet; line ring with a 20-by-3-inch parchment strip to form a collar. Bring rum and granulated sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Place ladyfingers standing upright inside of ring, with domed sides facing out (use just enough to fit snugly). Place one cake layer at bottom of ring. Brush ladyfingers and cake with rum syrup. Pour half of chocolate filling into cake ring and top with a second cake layer. Brush cake with syrup and top with remaining chocolate filling. Top with final cake layer and brush with syrup. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, whisk cream and confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Carefully remove charlotte from bottom piece of parchment and transfer, still in cake ring, to serving platter. Remove ring and gently peel off parchment strip. Dollop whipped cream on top of cake and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

PRALINES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• In large saucepan over medium heat, combine pecans, sugar, butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely.

PRALINE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Place a heavy skillet over medium heat and add the sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until the sugar is melted and a deep golden color. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecan halves. Pour the mixture onto a buttered sheet pan and allow to cool.
• When cooled, chop the pralines finely. Set half aside and transfer the other half to the container of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Set aside.
• Make or reheat the custard sauce (it should be warm) and transfer it to a large bowl. Dissolve the gelatin in 2 tablespoons water and stir it into the custard. Stir in the salt. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool, stirring occasionally, until it is thickened but not yet gelled, about 20 minutes.
• Fold the powdered praline into the cooled custard. Whip 1 1/4 cups of the cream until it holds soft peaks and fold it into the custard. Fold all but 1/4 cup of the reserved chopped praline pieces into the custard. Save the rest for a garnish. Refrigerate.
• Take 4 to 6 ladyfingers and trim them into "petals" with one rounded edge and one narrow, pointed end. Arrange them, domed side down, in the bottom of an 8-cup charlotte mold, narrow ends pointing in and rounded ends pointed out. Trim the sides of another 12 to 15 ladyfingers and set them upright around the mold, domed sides out, packing them as closely together as possible.
• Pour the custard mixture into the mold. Using a serrated knife, trim the tops of the ladyfingers level with the filling. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• Unmold the charlotte onto a serving platter. Combine the powdered sugar, remaining cup of cream and rum and whip until it holds firm peaks. Place some of the cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tube and pipe lines of cream between the ladyfingers and rosettes around the edge of the plate. Sprinkle the charlotte with the reserved praline, slice and serve with the remaining sweetened whipped cream on the side.

SOUTHERN PRALINES

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cream, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 230° (thread stage), stirring occasionally., Carefully stir in pecans and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 236° (soft-ball stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until candy thickens and begins to lose its gloss, about 4-5 minutes. , Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper; spread to form 2-in. patties. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

PISTACHIO CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan, and allow to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool. Add kirsch, and stir to combine. Brush ladyfingers and cake rounds with syrup. Place ladyfingers around edge of 81/2-inch springform pan. Lay a cake round in the bottom, trimming, if necessary, to fit.
• Spoon in 1/3 pistachio bavarian cream, smooth top, and sprinkle with 1/3 pistachio praline. Repeat with remaining cake rounds, bavarian cream, and praline to form two more layers. Place in the refrigerator to set, 4 to 5 hours, or overnight. Serve.