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Apple Charlottes with custard

James Martin from Great Food Live
James Martin's individual apple charlottes are delicious served with creamy own-made custard

Apple Charlottes with custard

Method

1. Peel and core the apples, and slice into large chunks.

2. Melt 25g of the butter in a large saucepan and tip in the sugar and apples. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

4. Remove the lid and continue cooking the apples for a further 5-10 minutes, until they have cooked down to a smooth purée. Stir in the apricot jam and leave on one side to cool.

5. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan and remove from the heat. Cut the bread into small fingers and dip each piece into the melted butter. Line the base and sides of 4 dariole mould with the butter-soaked bread pieces, reserving a few fingers for the lids.

6. Spoon the apple purée into the lined moulds and top with the remaining trimmed bread pieces. Bake for 30 minutes, until the charlottes are golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. While the charlottes are cooking, make the custard.

7. For the custard, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl until pale and creamy.

8. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod, and add the seeds to the milk and cream. Bring to the boil.

8. Pour the hot cream and milk into the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Sit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk, over a moderate heat, until the custard thickens. This should take about 10 minutes.

9. Carefully turn the 4 puddings out of their moulds and serve straight away with the warm custard.