Apple Sharlotka
This recipe was tested and photographed by Market volunteer Janna! Apple Sharlotka cake dates back to the 19th century and was created by the first French celebrity chef, Marie-Antoine Carême for Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Sharlotka embodies the simplicity of French cuisine. It only requires a short list of ingredients, the majority of which are probably already in your pantry.
Ingredients:
-Unsalted butter for greasing
-4 apples, peeled and cored (Cortland apples work great)
-4 eggs, at room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-1 pinch of salt
-Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a round 8” or 9” cake pan with butter and set aside.
3. Cut each apple into 16 pieces.
4. Lay out the apple chunks evenly in the cake pan.
5. Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has become foamy and lighter in color.
6. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold the flour and salt gently into the egg mixture until just combined. You do not want to overmix this batter, or it will result in a dense cake.
7. Pour the batter over the apples. Tap the pan gently on a table to insure that the batter is evenly distributed around the apples.
8. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the Sharlotka for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until it’s golden and crisp on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit on the counter in its form until it cools down completely.
10. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve.