Apple Sharlotka Recipe (Russian Apple Charlotte)

This is a very simple desert to make, its relatively healthy and delicious. My take on the classic recipe is to spice it up by adding a little ground cinnamon and clove into the batter for a spicier all-round flavour.

Ingredients

• 200g Sugar
• 120g Plain White Flour
• 4 medium eggs
• 1kg Apples
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (170C if using a fan assisted oven)

Finely slice the apples (we like to leave the skin on, since its better for you, the traditional way is to peel the apples) and layer them at the bottom of a greased circular cake tin.

Whisk all the remaining ingredients (sugar, flour, eggs, cloves, cinnamon) together until there is a smooth consistency and pour onto the layered apples in the tin. Before pouring, I sometimes dust the layer of apples with an extra helping of cinnamon

Cook for 30-40 minutes. Check to see if the sponge is ready after 30 minutes by inserting a knife into the mixture. If the mix is gooey return to the oven for a few more minutes and check again.

Serving Suggestions

Turn out the cake onto a plate or cake stand and serve with Ice Cream, Clotted Cream, Double Cream, Soured Cream, Creme Fraiche, Custard or just enjoy it on its own.

Modifications

• For a healthier version of the Sharlotka, you can subustite 50% of the flour for wholemeal flour, you will get a denser mixture with a more wholesome taste.
• You could also substiting 40g of sugar for 2 tablespoons of honey for a slightly sticky texture and glazed look and feel.
• Alternating 1 layer of apples and 1 layer of pears gives a nice twist to the recipe. In this case use 600g of apples and 400g of pears.