Apple Charlotte

Adapted from Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management

• About 6 large slices bread, crusts cut off and buttered, more if needed
• About 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, more if needed
• 3 pinches of salt
• zest of one lemon
• 3 heaping tablespoons brown sugar

Heat oven to 350°

Butter a pie pan. Tear large pieces of bread and place in a single layer. Arrange a layer of apple slices on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt, a third of the lemon zest, and a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar. Repeat for the other two layers. Gently press down and cover with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (I checked at 45, the apples were cooked but firm, by an hour they were cooked down properly).

Allow to cool, then overturn on a plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with vanilla ice cream, or creme anglaise (recipe follows).

Lady Grey Creme Anglaise

Adapted from Biscayenne

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Lady Grey tea bags
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar

Bring milk, vanilla and tea bags to a simmer, then remove from heat and steep 10 minutes. Remove tea bags (after squeezing out the liquid).

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar until mixture is pale yellow. Pour half the milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the sauce pan and reheat over medium heat, constantly stirring, until mixture has thickened. Do not boil. It is ready when it coats a spoon, and you can run your finger over the creme and the trail remains.

Pour into a bowl placed into a larger bowl of ice and stir until the sauce is cool. Refrigerate to thicken further.