Apple Charlotte Chardonnay Sabayon

Ingredients

• Apple Charlotte:
• 5 croissants, day-old, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1/4 lb. melted butter
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups apples (half eating & half cooking), cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 4 tablespoons Herman Wente Reserve Chardonnay
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• Chardonnay Sabayon:
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup Herman Wente Reserve Chardonnay

Method

• 1. Prepare apple charlotte molds by brushing sliced croissants with the 1/4 cup melted butter, and pressing firmly around sides and bottom of muffin tins. Reserve one croissant, sliced, to press on top of the filled charlottes.
• 2. Melt one tablespoon of butter in saute pan and add diced apples, lemon, sugar, salt, five-spice powder and wine and cook 5-7 minutes, maintaining a firm, cooked shape with the apples. Mix the nuts into the mixture at the end.
• 3. Fill the apple charlotte shells with the apple/nut mixture. Dip the reserved slices of croissants into butter and press on top of the apple mixture enclosing contents.
• 4. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes in muffin tins before inverting on cooling rack to cool completely.
• Sabayon Chardonnay:
• 1. Beat egg yolks in a bowl with a whisk until foamy.
• 2. Beat in sugar and wine.
• 3. Place over hot water bath and continue to whisk until thick, being careful not to scramble eggs. Refrigerate until serving time.
• 4. To serve: Dust the charlottes lightly with powdered sugar right before serving. Place sabayon sauce on plate, top with Apple Charlotte and garnish with poached unpeeled apple slices, if desired.

Notes

• NOTES:
• NOTES : WENTE VINEYARDS HERMAN WENTE RESERVE CHARDONNAY1995
• What an opportunity to participate in "Le Grande Finale" and develop a dessert suited to my catering company name...Apple Charlotte Cooking & Catering Co.! I loved working with Wente's 1995 "Herman". This dessert is based on the classic French Apple Charlotte with a twist: use of croissants instead of bread for a flakey, buttery mold that holds the five-spice infused apple filling, the addition of walnuts and served with a light chardonnay sabayon, all in an effort to pair more favorably with the chardonnay. Makes 8 servings.
• SERVINGS: 8
• SOURCE: Charlotte Zyskowski