Apple Charlotte with Sabayon Chardonnay

Ingredients

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

Method

• 1. Prepare apple charlotte molds by dipping sliced croissants in 1/4 cup melted butter, and pressing firmly into muffin tins around sides and bottom. Reserve enough croissant slices (1 croissant) to press on top to encase filling.
• 2. Melt one tablespoon of butter in saute pan and add diced apples, lemon, sugar, salt, five-spice powder and wine and cook a few minutes, maintaining a firm, however cooked, shape with the apples. Add the nuts 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.
• 4. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and slightly crisp. Allow to cool about 5 minutes in tins and invert on cooling rack to cool completely.
• Sabayon Chardonnay:
• 1. Beat egg yolks with a whisk in a bowl until foamy.
• 2. Mix 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.
• To serve: Dust the charlottes lightly with powdered sugar. Place sabayon sauce on plate, top with Apple Charlotte and garnish with poached unpeeled apple slices, if desired.

Notes

• NOTES:
• NOTES : 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 Wente Reserve Chardonnay. This is based on the classic French Apple Charlotte with a twist: use of croissants instead of bread for a flakey, buttery crust, a touch of five-spice powder, walnuts and a light sabayon with chardonnay, all in an effort to pair more favorable with the chardonnay.
• SERVINGS: 6
• SOURCE: Charlotte Zyskowski