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Russian Charlotte
Trim off the ends of eighteen or twenty Savoy biscuits perfectly straight, line the sides of a straight dry mould with them, and take care to join them perfectly, so that the contents of the charlotte cannot escape, then ornament the bottom of the mould with dried fruit or strips of angelica. Soak a quarter of an ounce of gelatine, and dissolve it in a quarter of a pint of hot milk. Whilst it is cooling whip half a pint of double cream till thick. Mix with it a spoonful of sugar, a few drops of flavouring, and the melted gelatine. Put the mixture into the mould, a small quantity at a time, and let it remain in ice until it is firm. When it is wanted, turn it out carefully upon a glass dish, and serve. If the mould cannot easily be turned out, plunge it into hot water for a moment. Probable cost, 2s. Sufficient for six or eight persons.
This is charlotte russe: a cold cream set in a wall of sponge fingers. The whole thing hinges on the biscuit lining being tight, because the cream is liquid when it goes in and will find any gap.
- Savoy biscuitsThese are sponge fingers, sold today as ladyfingers or savoiardi. Trim both ends square with a serrated knife so they stand upright and butt flush against each other; sugared side facing outward against the mould.
- The mouldA straight-sided charlotte tin of about 1 to 1.5 pints. Any straight, untapered tin or even a deep cake tin works, but a sloping bowl will not hold the biscuits vertically. "Dry" means exactly that: do not oil or line it, or the biscuits will slide.
- Gill and half-pint measuresThe quarter pint of milk is an imperial gill, 5 fl oz or about two-thirds of a US cup. The half pint of double cream is 10 fl oz, roughly 1¼ US cups of heavy cream. Double cream runs about 48% fat; US heavy cream at 36% will whip but gives a slacker result.
- GelatineA quarter ounce is about 7 g, which is one standard envelope of powdered gelatine or three to four leaves. Bloom it in a little cold water first, then dissolve in milk that is hot but not boiling. Let it cool to barely warm before folding into the whipped cream or it will thin the cream and set in strings.
- "A few drops of flavouring"Vanilla essence is the likeliest reading; almond essence or a spoonful of liqueur would also serve. Note the recipe specifies drops, not a spoonful.
- AngelicaCandied angelica stem, once standard for green decoration, is now a specialist item. Candied citrus peel, glacé cherries or dried apricot cut into strips do the same job.
- "Let it remain in ice"An ice cave or icebox, not a freezer. Refrigerate four to six hours, or overnight; the mixture should be fully set and cold, not frozen.
- Turning outDip the mould in hot water for two or three seconds only, wipe it dry, then invert onto the serving dish. Longer than that and the outer layer of cream melts and the biscuits shift.
- YieldSix to eight small servings, as stated. The "probable cost, 2s." is a Victorian household budgeting note and no guide to anything now.
The charlotte russe belongs to the early nineteenth-century French repertoire and is generally traced to Antonin Carême, who is said to have named it for the Russian court he briefly served; the older English charlotte was a hot dish of buttered bread and stewed apple, and the "russe" is its cold, moulded, cream-filled descendant. The Savoy biscuit that forms the wall takes its name from the Duchy of Savoy, where the recipe for the light egg-and-sugar sponge finger is traditionally placed.