Charlotte russe
(Charlotte à la russe, Charlotte cake)
This cake originated in 18th-century France as a sponge cake pressed into an elegant mold, filled with thick custard or crème Bavaroise flavored with cooked fruit, spices, or brandy. The cake is said to have been invented by a famous French chef Marie-Antoine Carême, who many considered the father of French cuisine.
While the origin of the name Charlotte is often debated, Carême likely named his cake Russe to honor his Russian employer Czar Alexander I, and he also included a recipe for Charlotte à la Russe (originally Charlotte à la Parisienne) in his 1815 cookbook The Royal Parisian Pastry Cook and Confectioner.
A true favorite among European aristocrats, this sweet dish has taken on many different variations over time, like the delicious Charlotte Malakoff, filled with a kirsch-flavored almond cream and decorated with chantilly cream and berries.
This version was invented in 1855, when French and British forces won a battle against Russia in the Crimean War. Read more
The Charlotte as we know it today is typically more simplified – a cake made with ladyfingers and filled with either custard, mousse, or a mixture of whipped cream and fruit purée. Another popular alternative to the Russe version is the so-called Charlotte Royale – it has the same filling as Charlotte Russe, but replaces the ladyfinger lining with Swiss roll slices.
Charlotte russe is often topped with jelly and decorated with various fruit, making it a beautiful and delicious dessert fit for the Czar.
