One of the most delicious desserts - charlotte pie - very quickly gained popularity in the CIS countries. Charlotte is quick and easy to prepare, and all the ingredients needed for baking are easy to get, some of them grow in the gardens near the house. Charlotte can rightfully be called an autumn pie, since mostly in autumn, people's warehouses are filled with apples. This dessert can be prepared in haste and please guests and loved ones with such a delicious dish.
However, the roots of the dish come from England, it was there that it was first cooked. The recipe for the pie was invented by the genius of the nineteenth century, namely the Frenchman Marie Karem. Marie conquered the bellies of many monarchs and their families, so the cook liked the Russian Emperor Alexander the First, to whom Marie passed from the hands of George the Fourth, King of England. One version of the origin of the name says that the cake was named after the mother of King George.
In Russia, the first charlotte was prepared differently: a layer of biscuit cookies was placed at the bottom of the mold, and covered with cream on top. Apples began to be added a little later, and in addition to them, nuts, raisins and even cocoa were added. In Soviet times, under Comrade Stalin, the name of the pie was changed to "Russian grandmother" - in order to remove the bourgeois roots of capitalist Europe from the name of the delicacy.
In America, in particular in the city of New York, a special variation of charlotte pie has appeared, which is very different from the classic delicacy. The confectioner puts a biscuit with whipped cream and cherries into paper cups.
In order to embellish this dessert, you can increase the splendor by adding baking powder. It is also possible to beat the egg white and yolk in a separate bowl. This will undoubtedly increase the cooking time of the cake, but will make it unusual and very airy. It is also worth noting the possibility of preparing a custard biscuit.
In addition to apples, pears, plums can be added to charlotte, and various berries, such as cranberries, currants, raspberries, will undoubtedly decorate the delicacy. Often, along with fresh apples, dried fruits are added to the dish. This trick gives the sophistication and unique taste of the cake. It is also possible to add raisins and dried apricots to the dough, which will bring originality to your dish.
The origin of the name of this dish is not exactly clear. According to one version, the word charlotte comes from the Old English charlyt and refers to a dish for the preparation of which beaten eggs, sugar and milk were used.
According to another version, Charlotte owes its name to Queen Charlotte, who was engaged in the cultivation of apple orchards. Finally, some believe that the name of the dessert was given by a certain chef in love with a lady named Charlotte.
Basic recipe for those in a hurry
The modern charlotte recipe is extremely simple.
To make this pie you will need a kilogram of hard sour apples (as for other pastries, Antonovka is ideal), a glass of granulated sugar, a glass of flour and four eggs. Eggs are beaten with sugar and flour, and the resulting batter is poured over peeled and seeded apples cut into small slices. After that, the cake is baked in the oven for half an hour.
It takes very little time to prepare such a charlotte - it is not surprising that the pie is so popular.
This is an ideal dessert for every day, but for a festive table, it is probably a bit rustic.
However, there are many ways to improve the basic recipe, turning the usual charlotte into a culinary masterpiece.
Decoration and improvement of the dish
How to make an ordinary charlotte not an everyday, but a festive dish?
You can experiment a little with the dough, for example, add baking powder for more splendor.
Beating the yolks and whites separately gives good results. In this case, the preparation of the cake will take longer, but the biscuit will turn out to be more magnificent and airy.
Charlotte based on custard biscuit dough has a very pleasant taste. In this case, the eggs are beaten with sugar in a water bath.
If a quarter of the total amount of flour is replaced with starch, then the biscuit becomes porous and light, and also crumbles less.
In order for the biscuit to rise well and evenly, only the bottom of the baking dish should be greased with oil. It is best to use silicone or Teflon molds, which require little to no lubrication.
Another way to decorate charlotte is to add various spices (for example, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg), nuts, fruits or berries to it.
All types of nuts are great with apples, as well as other juicy fruits, such as pears, plums or apricots.
Berries are also suitable - cranberries, currants, blackberries, raspberries, which can be used to decorate the pie or added directly to the dough.
The combination of fresh apples with dried fruits is considered a classic for a reason. Raisins are ideal, a delicious pie will turn out with a filling of apples with dried apricots.
Charlotte - many options for a simple dish!
A quick and tasty dessert that is simple to prepare and does not require expensive ingredients is charlotte. She has long and firmly entered the menu of Europeans, Americans and, of course, Russians. The history of this dish is full of mysteries and interesting facts, but chefs are still trying to improve it by adding new ingredients. The victorious procession of charlotte through the countries
Charlotte is believed to have been invented by the British both because of the cheapness of apples and their availability on the European continent. The classic recipe is a kind of pudding, where there can be three or more layers: the bottom and top are bread soaked in an egg mixture or butter, the intermediate one is a layer of chopped or boiled apples with sugar. Apple charlotte is baked in the oven for 30-50 minutes. It is served with sweet sauces, cream whipped with sugar, or ice cream. In addition to apples, the filling can be made from plums, pears, other fruits and even berries.
The Russian charlotte was invented by the chef Marie-Antoine Karem, who cooked for Alexander I after he triumphantly entered Paris. According to the recipe of this cook, a layer of savoiardi cookies (or a biscuit) is laid out in a mold and whipped cream is placed between the layers, which form the basis of the Bavarian cream. The mold should be cooled until the mass hardens. Now charlotte in Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space is often a biscuit, which contains finely chopped apples. We also fell in love with curd charlotte in our country.
But, according to another legend, the charlotte recipe was invented by the wife of King George III Charlotte, the patroness of apple producers. According to another version, this name comes from English "charlyt", which means a dish made from a mixture of sugar, eggs and milk. By the way, another legend says that a certain English chef was very much in love with a poor beauty named Charlotte. And in her honor, he invented this cake.
The Russians, on the other hand, believed that charlotte was invented by the wives of German bakers who had lived in Russia for a long time. They used leftover crackers, bread and pastries to make it. And since the German women were called Charlottes behind their backs, this is where the name Charlotte pie came from.
Charlotte came to America at the end of the 19th century, but in a modified form as banana charlotte. There it was prepared by adding whipped cream with chocolate as a cream. Now in America, cherry liqueur and cherries are used for impregnation.
How to cook it right?
Initially, charlotte was not baked at all. For its preparation, they used a syrup made from mixed juice of apples, apricots (or plums) and pears, in which slices of bread were soaked. These soaked pieces were laid out in a layer, then fruit was placed on top, and again covered with similar pieces of bread. The principle is similar to the way tiramisu is made.
Previously, for baking charlotte, there was a special form with a detachable bottom and petal-walls. She allowed to take out the cake without damage and was called so - charlotte. Now there are also similar forms that have an additional non-stick coating.
Today, charlotte is a biscuit pie with apple filling. But it can also be peach filling, pear, melon, with strawberries. So that the charlotte does not burn, it is necessary to put a baking sheet with salt in the lower part of the oven, and bake the charlotte itself in a greased form. After baking, the cake is immediately placed on a damp towel and after a while it is easily removed.
Here is a simple and quick recipe for making ordinary charlotte with apples. Slices of white bread are placed in a mold, generously greased with butter, thinly sliced apples are placed on top, sprinkled with cinnamon, covered with another layer of bread, sprinkled with sugar and put in a preheated oven for several minutes. In order for the charlotte to be ruddy, it should be closed with a special lid - a salamander. It is served hot. But Kareem did it differently. The prepared dessert, having changed the composition, he served on the table cold and frozen. The old Russian recipe, set out in the cookbook of Elena Molokhovets, is distinguished by the use of stale rye and black bread, which must be ground, mixed and lightly fried with butter, add cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest and candied orange, sugar and water. The filling is prepared from cherries or apples (the former are boiled lightly in syrup, the latter are briefly stewed with butter). You can add wine or rum to the filling. Russian charlotte was usually prepared in layers, alternating layers of bread with filling, then baked in a charlotte for 15 minutes and served with sugar and cream.
An English grandmother (the same charlotte) is made from white bread soaked in lezon (a mixture of eggs and milk) and apple slices in the middle layer. Bake it for 40-50 minutes, and serve hot, pouring sweet sauce. Another filling option is a mixture of finely chopped apples, bread and lemon zest.
Airy charlotte is made from baked apples, which are then mashed with sugar, boiled until thickened, beaten egg whites are added and baked for 15-20 minutes in the oven without removing from the mold so that it does not lose its volume. The most original recipe for charlotte in Kharkov. It is made from sugar-free biscuit and sausage and vegetable filling. So that the charlotte made from biscuit dough and apples does not fall off, it is necessary to let it cool in the switched off oven (the readiness of the cake will show a golden brownish crust).
We use a multicooker
Now, any housewife can prepare a delicious dessert in a matter of time - in this case, charlotte in a slow cooker will help out, both if the guests are about to come, and if the family has requested sweets. The peculiarity of cooking charlotte in it is different in that the biscuit mixture of eggs, sugar and flour with filling is alternated, laying out a layer of apples so that it does not touch the walls of the multicooker, and then pouring the mixture.
There can be many layers - it depends on the height of the multicooker. After that, the “Baking” mode is set for 1 hour. The readiness of charlotte is checked with a wooden stick. Immediately after baking, you do not need to remove it, but it is better to wait 15 minutes or half an hour, then it will remain airy. To make the charlotte especially tasty, each apple layer is sprinkled with chopped cinnamon.
A simple easy way of baking, the minimum number of components allows you to prepare a delicious dessert in any season, which can please loved ones and surprise guests.
Charlotte is loved all over the world, but somewhere it's a pudding, somewhere it's a cold dessert, and in Russia it's a simple apple pie. In this article, I will tell you about the history of the origin of this many-sided sweets, about its travels around the world, modifications and show step-by-step charlotte recipes with photos.
Charlotte is a simplified, folk, one might say affectionate derivative of "Charlotte". There are two versions of the origin of the name:
1) Most of the legends associated with the creation of charlotte indicate that it comes from the female name "Charlotte".
2) Some culinary scientists claim (based on English recipes of the 15th century and later, which is credible) that the name of the dessert charlotte comes from the English word charlyt, which means a dish made from beaten eggs, sugar and milk. In the 15th century, in England, by the way, a meat dish with the same name was also popular.
From various sources, I have collected almost all available versions of the origin of Charlotte, some of them are quite funny:
1) Be that as it may, but all modern types of charlotte come from the English pudding. I put this most realistic, in my opinion, version at the very beginning, so as not to confuse you. It was the British who came up with this dessert, and what we have now arose relatively recently. In foggy Albion, it seems that puddings are prepared from everything in the world. The recipe for English charlotte is very simple, although there are also many options. That first and simple charlotte was a cold dessert, the so-called "raw", when moistened slices of bread were stacked in layers, interspersed with chopped fruit.
The basis of both cold / raw and baked charlotte is moistened slices of bread or biscuit, which are laid out in a small form, filling the middle with stewed fruit. The most common and favorite option is apple charlotte. But slices of bread are moistened in everything, and in dissolved butter, and in syrup from under stewed fruits, and in wine, and in Russia they were very fond of moistening bread in a mixture of eggs and milk (Oh, how many centuries have passed, but we have still love to soak bread slices for toast in this egg-and-milk mixture).
2) This version is also English, but with royal participation.
In the 18th century, King George III ruled Great Britain; his wife, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was the patroness of apple growers. It is believed that it was she who invented the Charlotte apple dessert. Of course, I did not search much, but I did not find any confirmation of this theory. Since this pudding existed before Queen Charlotte, I think she improved the recipe, but again, there is no information about this. But this version is beautiful, I do not argue.
3) Many people know the romantic legend about the creation of charlotte by a certain chef from the UK, who was hopelessly in love with a girl named Charlotte, for whom he created a wonderful apple dessert and named it after his beloved. Name, place of residence or work, but at least the time of life is lost forever, except for a dessert with a beautiful name. A doubtful version, but lives and lives for a long time.
4) The French chef Marie Antoine Karem, who lived at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, is often called the creator of charlotte, he was one of the founders of modern culinary arts, "haute cuisine", he was called "the cook of kings and the king of cooks". But he modified the charlotte, creating its new look, which is now called Charlotte Russe.
Illustration from Karem's book, he is on the right.
How it was: Antoine Carem is said to have modified charlotte in 1802, laying out the form not with bread, but with Savoyardi (“Ladyfingers”) biscuits, filling the middle with Bavarian cream with gelatin. Such charlotte was a cold dessert and was called "Paris charlotte". But in 1814, Russian Tsar Alexander I entered Paris as a winner, for whom Karem prepared his dessert. Since then, this cake has been known worldwide as "Charlotte Russe".
5) I left the most beautiful and funny for you in the end.
At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, there were many German bakeries in Russia that prepared this dessert from the remains of bread and bakery products. The Russians laughed and said that the wives of the Germans save money and even make pies from crackers, and the wives themselves, summarizing, were called Charlottes behind their backs. The name Charlotte was very popular at the time and became a household name for any German woman living in Russia (Wikipedia).
6) In America, they believe that their national charlotte was invented by a certain chef from the city of Charlotte, which is somewhat doubtful, given the similarity with the English recipe. Most likely, charlotte was brought by immigrants. In the 19th century, a saying appeared in America that is said when speaking of a typically American phenomenon or object: "As American as apple pie" ("As American as an apple pie").
Charlotte evolution.
Despite the fact that charlotte is prepared with many fruits, the whole world fell in love with its apple version.
So, initially charlotte is a bread pudding, and its cold version, "raw". Those. slices of bread moistened with syrup from under boiled fruits were folded into the form in layers, these fruits were laid out between the bread, everything was covered with slices of bread.
Then they began to bake charlotte, the bread was already soaked in melted butter or wine, and even in a mixture of eggs and milk. But bread slices were already laid out not in layers, but along the bottom and along the walls of the form, filling the middle with stewed fruit.
Antoine Karem made charlotte an elegant and very delicate dessert, replacing bread with Savoyardi biscuits and biscuit slices, and apple filling with Bavarian cream.
In Russia, in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the flow of foreign chefs, recipes for charlotte also poured in, which adapted to our Russian realities, as a result of which charlotte from rye bread was born. But Charlotte Russe did not take root. At the beginning of the 20th century in our country, charlotte turned into a very simple biscuit pie with apples, which every housewife knows. So many generations grew up on a simple recipe for apple charlotte. And although our women are so talented that there are a great many variations of the simplest pie at the moment, everyone still dearly loves the classic charlotte recipe, this is not even a recipe, but the proportions that everyone supplements to their liking: 1 glass of flour, 1 glass of sugar, 4 eggs, 0.5 teaspoon of soda, slaked with vinegar. Nowadays, baking soda is replaced with baking powder and vanilla sugar is added.
Despite the fact that Charlotte Russe did not take root in Russia, it is very popular in Europe and America. Speaking of America!
Charlotte came to this continent along with immigrants, but very quickly a legend was born that one American chef from a city called Charlotte came up with charlotte. To the credit of the Americans, they somewhat modified the charlotte, but for the better, giving rise to a new and wonderful pie, making it truly national and their pride.
Now in the world three main types of charlotte are firmly established, from which all cooks are already dancing.
1.
English charlotte pudding, made from bread slices and apples, can be either "raw" or baked.
Of course, a great many recipes have accumulated over so many centuries, but for myself and for you, and for the sake of curiosity, I took a hundred-year-old recipe from the book "Practical Fundamentals of Culinary Art" by Pelageya Alexandrova-Ignatieva.
2.
Charlotte Russe, born of the great Antoine Careme. This charlotte is prepared by laying out the form with savoiardi cookies, Bavarian cream with gelatin is poured into the form. Nowadays, Bavarian cream is mixed with various berry and fruit purees or chocolate, and jelly, most often berry, is poured on top of the cake.
I prepared Karem charlotte according to a combined recipe with a Russian bias: I laid out the form with Savoyardi cookies dipped in a mixture of sugar syrup and rum (most often Grand Marnier liquor is used as alcohol), poured Bavarian cream with vanilla, and then added a layer of cranberry jelly on top.
3.
A modern Russian charlotte with apples, which is a classic biscuit with apples added to the dough.
Until the middle of the last century, there was even a special detachable form for charlotte and it was called - charlotte! But, unfortunately, I could not find any photographs or illustrations of this unique form, although some books about it say that it is small, narrow and high with a removable bottom. Now, by the way, this is not tragic, since the stores are full of detachable forms of various sizes. But if you have a photo or illustration of a charlotte and you can send it, I will be extremely grateful to you.
Before the arrival of the first settlers from the European continent, America knew nothing about apple trees. While the trees they planted grew, apples appeared, ways to store and use them were found, including the production of juices and ciders, many more years passed. By that time, various recipes for baking using apples appeared in almost all European countries. They were also brought to America, but by a new wave of emigrants. Tarte Tatin from France, Charlotte and Apple Strudel from Germany and Austria, Crumble from England and many others.
So what apple pie is the nation proud of? And he is not just proud, but considers it almost the most important expression of his identity. After all, the idiom as American as apple pie, which is rooted in the mind, means nothing more than an indication of something absolutely typical and familiar to Americans, they say it is “the same as an apple pie.” Where does such love and affection for this product, imported from distant countries, come from? And how did it get accustomed here, transformed and received nationwide recognition?
First, a few words about the apples themselves. This is a legendary fruit. Known for thousands of years, thanks to its unique taste, it has left a huge mark on world culture and history. Like the "apple of temptation" when it comes to Adam and Eve and the "Golden apples of eternal youth" - the apples of the Hesperides - from the eleventh labor of Hercules. Or about the "apple of discord" with the inscription - "the most beautiful", which led to the Trojan War. This is about them, as about the fruits of love, King Solomon spoke in the "Song of Songs": "Reinforce me with wine, refresh me with apples, for I am exhausted from love."
During the coronations, the monarchs were awarded the so-called. "Imperial apple" is one of the main attributes of the state. The legend of William Tell, who had to shoot from a bow at an apple mounted on his son's head, is also widely known. Or the story of Isaac Newton, who discovered the law of universal gravitation when it fell from a tree on his head. Since that time, the symbolism associated with this wonderful fruit has come into use: “the apple of discord”, “rejuvenating apple”, “eyeball”, “in the bull's-eye”, “apple from the apple tree ...”, “forbidden fruit” and so on. Distinguished by a wide taste range, from sour to sweet, they were also identified among many peoples with beauty, love and fertility on the one hand, and temptation and deceit on the other. Their priority in households was then so great that all overseas fruits reappearing on the markets were involuntarily compared with them.
So, the tomato got its name from the Italian pomo d'oro, or "golden apple". Catherine II in 1765 decided to breed "earth apples" or potatoes in Russia. And the name that came from the Netherlands is orange (appelsien), was just tracing paper from French ( Pomme de Chine), or literally - "apples from China". By the way, it's French. pomme, or apple, was also the basis for the name of lipstick. It was invented thanks to Cardinal Richelieu, who demanded that his doctor make a fragrant ointment based on his favorite apples. It should be noted that the symbolism associated with apples is still widely used today.
Apple store on Fifth Avenue (Apple Store, Fifth Avenue) Photo: Depositphotos
So, New York since the 30s of the last century is called big apple, or "Big Apple", and the legendary rock band The Beatles since 1968 she has used it in the logo of her company Apple Corps. Now the name Apple used by one of the most successful computer industries in the world. And their product Macintosh owes its name also to one of the most popular apple varieties in the country.
Apples of America
It is generally accepted that their true homeland is the regions of the Caucasus, Northern Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Northern Afghanistan. Therefore, the name of the capital of Kazakhstan, Alma-Ata, literally translates as: "apple father." Be that as it may, but as the climatic conditions improved in the post-glacial period, wild plants from here began to spread throughout the world. At least in Central Europe, they were known as early as the Stone Age. And people began to take care of the apple tree, as a cultivated plant, about five thousand years ago, that is, in the Neolithic era.
Judging by the written sources that have come down to our time, in the Greek archipelago already 1200 BC. e. apple cultivation was at a fairly high level. We can confidently say that by the time America was conquered, there were already several thousand all kinds of apple varieties in the world. It is believed that their seeds were first brought to North America by settlers from England and Holland at the beginning of the 17th century. Presumably in the area of \u200b\u200b"New England" and "New Amsterdam" (New York). And in the northern regions of the country and Canada - already the French.
In those days, the main influence was given to an increase in planting areas, since the fruits of apple trees grown from seeds in new climatic and natural conditions were very different from their "parents" both in appearance and in taste. Simply put, they were small, unsightly and sour. Therefore, the success of the spread of apple trees in a new place was problematic. It took great efforts of breeders to grow completely new, beautiful and tasty varieties. So the recognition of apple trees in North America was mainly due to the merits of enthusiasts who promoted them in every possible way.
So, in the 1780s, Colonel Loammy Baldwin ( Loammi Baldwin) was given a taste of one of the local varieties of apples, and he liked them so much that, becoming their ardent admirer, he helped to spread them in Massachusetts. Evidence of this event can serve as a monument erected in Wilmington, with the inscription on the pedestal: “This monument marks the place near which the wild apple tree was discovered, which gave rise to the Baldwin variety. Apple cultivar, first known as Butters, Woodpecker or Pecker, was then named after Colonel Loammy Baldwin of Woburn." Also known are employees of the service for the dissemination of advanced knowledge and experience ( Extension Agency) who, after the First World War, helped Georgia farmers working on cotton plantations to also grow apples. And when in 1924 more than half of all cotton died from the invasion of the weevil, the inhabitants of Cornelia realized that it was apples that saved their land from ruin. In honor of this event, they also erected a monument, writing on the pedestal: “Cornelia (CORNELIA) is the birthplace of a large red apple. Habersham County, Georgia."
There is a legend that even Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, acted as a bright propagandist for apples. However, the most legendary figure in the popularization of planting apple orchards in the country is undoubtedly Johnny Appleseed ( Johnny Appleseed).
Folklore sources indicate that he was a man of average height, with blue eyes and long brown hair. He was dressed in second-hand clothes donated by the settlers, but most often in a coffee bag with holes cut out in it for the head and hands. For most of the year he walked barefoot, was a strict vegetarian and was depicted with a saucepan on his head, which, in addition to its direct purpose, was used by him as a headdress. And always with a bag of apple seeds on his back. For more than forty years, Johnny crossed the forests and prairies of Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and northern West Virginia, planting apple trees in every free area he encountered. In the future, he took care of the growing fruit trees, and also taught farmers the culture of growing apples.
It is believed that the monument erected in his honor (south of Dexter City, Ohio) is entirely made of stones brought by residents of those US towns where Johnny planted apple seeds.
He was a real person who became an American legend during his lifetime. His name was John Chapman John Chapman) and was born in 1774 in Leominster (Massachusetts) in the family of a poor farmer. John is supposed to have been a successful businessman in the beginning. The fact is that in those days, new settlers could get land for free only on the condition that they grew a garden on it for three years. And Chapman found free areas in advance, cleared them and planted apple seeds there. A few years later he sold the apple trees grown there to the settlers. However, he soon either went bankrupt or got bored with this business, and John turned into a vagabond, devoting the rest of his life to growing apple trees.
But where did he get apple seeds in such a huge amount? The fact is that initially the new settlers hardly ate apples, because they were tasteless. Most often they used them to produce apple ciders. On farms and farms where these drinks were produced, apple seeds were simply thrown away after pressing. That's what Johnny collected in his bags.
The invention of cider is associated with the name of Charlemagne. One night, the emperor, deciding to refresh himself and not wanting to wake up the servants, went down to the basement, where he stumbled and fell on a bag of overripe apples. After tasting the resulting juice, he was delighted. Allegedly, since then, in Normandy, Brittany and other places where huge apple orchards grew, they began to cultivate this drink, while saying: “Drink apple wine every day and diseases will pass you by.” And the secrets of its preparation were brought to America by the British, who accordingly borrowed them from the Normans. There were no special rituals for drinking cider here. Let's say, as in other places, pour it from the height of an outstretched hand into a glass of thin glass, but so that an elegant stream breaks on its bottom, forming foam. And at the end - throw the sediment right on the floor. Here it was a common drink used to quench one's thirst. After all, the quality of water in nearby reservoirs was so low that the first settlers used cider as a common drink to quench their thirst. Even small children drank it. And adults consumed from half a liter to a liter per day.
But sometimes stronger drinks were needed. Then, during the fermentation of apples, sugar, yeast or alcohol were added, and then the drink immediately increased the degrees. Sometimes it was thoroughly cooled, and then the resulting ice crust was removed. This increased the alcohol content. Such drinks would later be called Apple Wine, or Apple Jack.
However, Calvados is still considered the most prestigious apple drink in the country, the manufacturing technology of which was also, through the British, borrowed from the Normans. It was for the manufacture of one of the versions of this drink that the first license in the United States was issued. The winery got it Laird & Company in New Jersey, back in 1780. But it will take a long time for Calvados to turn into a “drink of dreams”, which “... you don’t drink, but as if you inhale”, covered with a halo of that special romantic flair that only the brilliant Erich Maria Remarque could create. Although it should be noted that Ernst Hemingway spoke no less enthusiastically about this wonderful drink. As Commissioner Maigret, Georges Simenon's favorite hero, rightly noted: "We have our own habits ... In the evening we drink Calvados ...".
It should be noted that the attachment to strong alcoholic beverages increased more and more not only among famous writers. The cider began to grow stronger, turning into apple brandy. Its production began to increase more and more, and widespread drunkenness became an increasing problem. So the innocent apple again became the embodiment of temptation - as in the Garden of Eden. It began to solder the nation. Prohibition enthusiasts threatened to cut down the gardens. Thank God that alcoholic drinks were made not only from apples. But thanks to the Prohibition introduced in 1920, apple consumption dropped sharply. Naturally, entrepreneurs responded to this by increasing the production of juices, kvass, kissels, compotes, sauces and vinegars, as well as preserves, jams, marmalade, marshmallows, mousses, purees and jelly.
More and more began to produce the so-called. "dry jam" Often they simply took apples out of the jam, and drying them received fruit-confits. If a sprinkled with sugar, they were calledfruit candis. And if the “varnished fruits” were covered with syrup and dried again, then they turned into fruit glass. But that's not all. After all, it is at this time that the finest hour comes for culinary products using apples. Out on the stage
apple pies
You can't say they haven't been made before. On the contrary, it is believed that even the first confectionery products of the colonists, which were baked on the basis of stale bread, were covered with apples. But where the volume of production increased sharply, a new quality was bound to appear. And then, entrenched in the mind, turn into the famous "American apple pie." But what special qualities can we talk about, even if the Wikipedia chapter on American pie describes Dutch, English and Swedish recipes in detail. But there are also Austrian, German, Italian, Japanese, etc. Each new wave of emigrants brought with them the national secrets of the production of apple pies.
The simplest of them was Swedish. There, beautifully sliced apple slices were placed on top of an ordinary pie and all this was baked together.
Swedish apple pie. Photo: Depositphotos
Somewhat more complicated, intricate and tastier is its French modification - Tarte Tatin. Stephanie Tatin, one of the owners of a French hotel and restaurant, was once in such a hurry that she forgot to put the cake in the bottom of the mold and, in order not to redo the pastries, simply covered the caramelized apples with it. When the cake was baked, it had to be placed upside down on a plate. Her customers liked this product so much that they began to order it again and again, and soon the fame of Tarte Tatin crossed the borders of the country.
French Tarte Tatin. Photo: Depositphotos
The history of the appearance of the English Crumble is also curious. During the Second World War, due to an acute shortage of flour, butter and sugar, local housewives began to cover fruits not with a whole cake, but with dough crumbs.
English apple pie "Crumble". Photo: Depositphotos
The novelty turned out to be so tasty that Crumble is popular to this day, although England has long been experiencing a lack of products for making pies.
Charlotte is also very popular in the world. At the same time, there are as many recipes for its preparation as there are options regarding her name. However, roughly speaking, the meaning of making this cake is that slices of bread soaked in boiled fruit syrup, wine, melted butter or a mixture of eggs and milk are placed in layers in a mold. Between them, apples cut into slices are stacked, and all this is again covered with bread slices from above. Sometimes they were laid out not in layers, but along the bottom and along the walls of the form, filling the middle with fruit, and then all this was baked together.
Somewhat apart in this realm of apple pastries stands Austrian or, more correctly, Viennese apple strudel. The fact is that this is not a traditional pie or cake, but a roll. And to roll it together with finely chopped thin slices of apples, special high-gluten flour is needed to make the dough elastic. At the same time, real masters must roll it out so thinly that all the headlines in the morning newspaper that has just arrived can be read through it.
But this is not all "cake differences". After all, these products differ from each other even in the test. It can be shortbread, biscuit, yeast, puff, exhaust, honey, cottage cheese, sour cream, unleavened and whatever else. This is how Viennese Strudel is made from puff or puff pastry. Biscuit dough is used for airy upside-down pies and “charlotte”, while traditional Russian pies with apples are baked from yeast dough.
The apples themselves naturally also have differences: both depending on the varieties used, and on the degree of their preparation and preparation: raw apples in slices or slices, grated raw apples, canned, apple jam or jam, stewed or dried apples. In addition, they can also be combined with various additives - raisins, nuts, dried fruits, jam, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon or ginger. And, finally, apple filling can be supplemented with various creams, cottage cheese, jam, marzipan and even pralines.
But back to our American pie, or whatever they call it here. American Apple Pie. It would seem, how could one choose something specific in this endless variety of options and combinations, national habits and preferences? However, after trying all sorts of variations in the manufacture of apple pies, by trial and error, in the end, the optimal solution was still found. What did it consist of? The fact that this product began to be made whole and consisting of two cakes made from simple shortcrust pastry. In this case, the bottom cake was laid on the bottom and sides of a special corrugated cake mold about 9 inches in diameter, or any similar one.
Then it was filled with the most important component of the pie - a thick layer of apples, cut into thin slices or small slices. Of the spices in the filling, the presence of cinnamon is mandatory, but it is also allowed to add nutmeg, lemon juice and some other spices. The crust used to cover the pie is usually made smooth and placed on top of the apples. At the same time, its edges are carefully pinched with the lower cake at the upper border of the form. It is also possible to make the upper cake in the form of a lattice of dough strips. Often the pie is served garnished with cream, custard, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Then they call him apple pie a la mode.
In order to more specifically understand these subtleties, it is best to visit the traditional "Days of Apples" (February 20), where master classes and exhibitions are often held, and the most The best chefs demonstrate their art under the motto: everything is simple, quick to prepare, and most importantly, very tasty. No wonder they, along with pumpkin pies, are served on the table in many American families on Thanksgiving Day. And what else can you complete a meal after a traditional turkey, when all the relatives gather in the house?
So gradually, apple pie entered every American home so firmly that it actually became an integral part of it. One can easily imagine a boy living in "one-story America" and flying into the house in the evening: tired, running around, agitated, barely having time to wash, and immediately rushing to the table. Quickly swallowing the soup and barely chewing the meat, in anticipation of the main course - an apple pie. And now mom carefully cuts it into elongated triangles. This is not at all what the neighbors had the day before yesterday: the cakes break, the apples spread and they need to be collected with a spoon. Our mom is always great. And already awake, in bed, he feels her leaning over him to straighten the covers and kiss him on the cheek. And her hands still smell of apples and cake, and the crumbs of it are still on her lips and in her mouth. And it all merges into one whole: a pie, a mother, a home, a family, a happy childhood, reliability and well-being, friends and neighbors, a city, a state, and, of course, a country. And one can understand the young men who found themselves far from home, on the battlefields of World War II, who, when asked what values they had to defend here and what it was worth fighting for, answered: “for mom and apple pie.” Is it possible after that to doubt that he is a real symbol of America.
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