Hot Charlottes are correctly defined as preparations of fruit, contained in edible cases resembling in form those of raised pies, but being compounded of previously baked paste— such as bread, biscuit, or other materials. They may therefore be of great simplicity as regards material ; while, on the other hand, they admit of great complication of material and ornamentation of structure. The name is more than a century old, and its origin is not stated. The Apple Charlotte is the most typical. A round, buttered Charlotte mould is lined with evenly-trimmed pieces of breadcrumb well buttered ; the cavity is filled with half- stewed slices of apples, to which apricot jam, currants, etc.✪ Hot Charlotte, may be added, and closed with buttered bread. It is baked to a nice colour, turned out, and glaced. A Pear Charlotte is a generalization, and, as the pears are too mild, they require the admixture with them of red plum jam or damson CHARLOTTES AND FLANS 427 jam to the amount of half their weight. Other charlottes are interesting parallels, c.g., that of apricots, or of apricots and apples mixed ; for that of peaches the fruit must be under-ripe, and if possible red-fleshed, so-called blood peaches. Thus, it is seen that there are not many varieties of fruit which can be placed appropriately into a hot charlotte. Careme put a pot of preserved stoned cherries, without the syrup, with the small rosy apples. This is a composition differing from the accepted addition of jams used as correctives — such as apricot jam for apples, plum or damson jam for pears. You may mix the apples with quinces, with currants or sultanas, or Malaga imiscatel raisins ; in that case you diminish the sugar to be added to the apples by as much as corresponds to half the weight of the currants or raisins added. Charlottes may be filled vjith. pUinis, amongst them the German Zwetschen, which are well flavoured, not over- juicy, and preserve their shape ; with mirahelles , the small yellow and golden plums ; and with greengages in an under- ripe state. The cases of hot charlottes do not admit of much varia- tion, and remain best when made with buttered bread ; but cold charlottes may receive cases of brioche, Compiegne cake, Bath buns. Savoy cake, etc., even Genoa cake; the products pass under the name of Charlottes of CrotUes, and may be ornamented with coloured icings. Flans are varieties of French cakes, resembling cheese cakes in construction when they are small ; but when they are large they appear more like raised pies. In any case, the basis or covering is made of fresh paste, of flour, sugar, Vmtter, yolks, and salt. The fruit is carefully prepared, so as to have a thick syrupy sauce only, and is then enclosed in the paste ; the whole is baked. A flan is thei’efore strictly analogous to a raised meat pie. All the fruit used with charlottes may be employed in connection with flans. Apples for flans are first parboiled in thick syrup; milk is 428 THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY flavoured with vanilla, thickened with grits, and to this the syrup of the apples is added ; add further powdered sugar, yolks of eggs, butter, and luhipped cream. This preparation is now placed in the bottom of the raised pie-case, and the apples are arranged upon it ; the whole is baked until the apples take a little colour. CHAPTEE XXXVI. PREPARATIONS OF BEEF.

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Hot Charlottes are correctly defined as preparations of fruit, contained in edible cases resembling in form those of raised pies, but being compounded of previously baked paste— such as bread, biscuit, or other materials. They may therefore be of great simplicity as regards material ; while, on the other hand, they admit of great complication of material and ornamentation of structure. The name is more than a century old, and its origin is not stated. The Apple Charlotte is the most typical. A round, buttered Charlotte mould is lined with evenly-trimmed pieces of breadcrumb well buttered ; the cavity is filled with half- stewed slices of apples, to which apricot jam, currants, etc., may be added, and closed with buttered bread. It is baked to a nice colour, turned out, and glaced. A Pear Charlotte is a generalization, and, as the pears are too mild, they require the admixture with them of red plum jam or damson CHARLOTTES AND FLANS 427 jam to the amount of half their weight. Other charlottes are interesting parallels, c.g., that of apricots, or of apricots and apples mixed ; for that of peaches the fruit must be under-ripe, and if possible red-fleshed, so-called blood peaches. Thus, it is seen that there are not many varieties of fruit which can be placed appropriately into a hot charlotte. Careme put a pot of preserved stoned cherries, without the syrup, with the small rosy apples. This is a composition differing from the accepted addition of jams used as correctives — such as apricot jam for apples, plum or damson jam for pears. You may mix the apples with quinces, with currants or sultanas, or Malaga imiscatel raisins ; in that case you diminish the sugar to be added to the apples by as much as corresponds to half the weight of the currants or raisins added. Charlottes may be filled vjith. pUinis, amongst them the German Zwetschen, which are well flavoured, not over- juicy, and preserve their shape ; with mirahelles , the small yellow and golden plums ; and with greengages in an under- ripe state. The cases of hot charlottes do not admit of much varia- tion, and remain best when made with buttered bread ; but cold charlottes may receive cases of brioche, Compiegne cake, Bath buns. Savoy cake, etc., even Genoa cake; the products pass under the name of Charlottes of CrotUes, and may be ornamented with coloured icings. Flans are varieties of French cakes, resembling cheese cakes in construction when they are small ; but when they are large they appear more like raised pies. In any case, the basis or covering is made of fresh paste, of flour, sugar, Vmtter, yolks, and salt. The fruit is carefully prepared, so as to have a thick syrupy sauce only, and is then enclosed in the paste ; the whole is baked. A flan is thei’efore strictly analogous to a raised meat pie. All the fruit used with charlottes may be employed in connection with flans. Apples for flans are first parboiled in thick syrup; milk is 428 THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY flavoured with vanilla, thickened with grits, and to this the syrup of the apples is added ; add further powdered sugar, yolks of eggs, butter, and luhipped cream. This preparation is now placed in the bottom of the raised pie-case, and the apples are arranged upon it ; the whole is baked until the apples take a little colour. CHAPTEE XXXVI. PREPARATIONS OF BEEF.

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