Last updated on February 17th, 2013
CHARLOTTE ALMONDINE is a variation on the famed “Charlotte Malakoff” dessert. It’s a deliciously-decadent thing, a fortress of Cointreau-dipped cookies protecting a soft, almond and chocolate flavored mousse. Shall we make this bit of poetry together?
Charlotte Almondine
The fortress:
1 package margherittes (Stella d’Oro makes these)
1/3 cup orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
2/3 cup water
The mousse:
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup super-fine sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
8 1/4 oz. slivered almonds, pulverized in a food processor along with 2 tablespoons of super-fine sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted in one 1/4 cup strong, hot coffee
2 cups heavy cream, softly whipped
Special equipment – a 4-inch tall, straight-sided dish that will hold 8 cups, OR an 8-cup capacity charlotte mold; a standing mixer; a hand-held electric mixer; parchment paper or wax paper.
First, prepare the almonds. Pour them, along with 2 tablespoons of super-fine sugar, into the bowl of a food processor. Whir them around until they are pulverized to a powder, or at least something approximating a powder. The sugar will keep them from becoming oily.
Pulverized almonds are unconscionably-delicious. Go ahead and taste a spoonful. You’ll still have enough left for your Charlotte Almondine.
And by the way, you can prepare the almonds several days in advance. Just store them in an air-tight tub or zip-lock bag.
Next, prepare the chocolate. Pour the semi-sweet chips into a small glass bowl, add the strong, hot coffee, and then cover the bowl. We won’t need the chocolate for a minute, so just let it rest.
What’s that?
You’re not a coffee drinker?
Then just buy a tiny jar of instant coffee. “Taster’s Choice” is my choice. Dissolve one tablespoon of the granules in one 1/4 cup of boiling water.
And speaking of Taster’s Choice…anyone remember the company’s sexy ads from the early 1990s?
Don’t pretend you didn’t have a crush on the dude who starred in those ads.
Cut out a round of parchment or waxed paper to fit the bottom of the mold. For this recipe, you will not to butter or spray the mold.
Pour water and Cointreau (or whatever orange-liqueur you are using) into a pie plate. Then, one or two at a time, dip the margherites in the liquid. They need only a quick dip — let them get wet, but not so saturated that they disintegrate.
I should probably mention that margherites are available in most supermarkets. In this country, they are sold by the Stella D’oro company.
Now for the fun part: Line the mold with the margherites, arranging them so their flat side faces the wall of the mold.
As you can see from the above photograph, I arranged my cookies with their flat side facing in.
I hope you’ll forgive this minor transgression.
Here’s a bird’s-eye view of the finished fortress, composed of exactly 18 cookies.
Dip left-over cookies in the liqueur mixture, and then set them on a rack to drain. They’ll come in handy in a moment of two.
Now, using a standing mixture outfitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and sugar for 3 minutes.
And be sure to use super-fine sugar, as I recommended earlier. Regular granulated sugar will give the mousse a gritty texture.
Then remove the bowl from the mixer, and set it on your work station.
Remember the chocolate we melted? Smooth it out with a wire whisk. It should be satin-smooth, and free of lumps.
Gradually stir the melted chocolate into the almond mixture.
Using your hand-mixer (or a wire whip) and a medium bowl, beat 2 cups of cream until thick, but not stiff.
The goal here is crème Chantilly— softly-whipped cream.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream into the almond mixture.
I hope you are drooling right about now.
Spoon about a third of the mousse into the cookie-lined mold.
Place 2 of your extra cookies on top of the mousse.
Keep layering mousse and cookies until the mold is filled to the top. The top of the mold should be mousse — not cookies.
If you have any cookies left over — I always do — now would be a great time to eat them.
To help the mousse set properly, weight it down. First cover the mold with a sheet of waxed paper, then top it with a pie plate and a heavy can or a 4-cup measure filled with water. I got the water-filled-measuring-cup idea from Julia Child.
Set the weighted mold in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or up to 3 days.
Yes, this is a dessert you can make waaaay in advance.
When you are ready to unmold the charlotte, run a knife all along the perimeter of the mold…
And then set a platter atop the mold, and invert the two.
Lift the pan up, and Voila! you’ve got Charlotte Almondine!
See how some of my cookies got mangled? That’s because I placed the rounded side against the wall of the mold. Had the cookies been reversed, there would have been no mangling at all.
You can top-dress the charlotte with powdered cocoa…
Or, even nicer, pipe on some stiffly-beaten cream…
And then add some nice-looking raspberries.
Now, I hope I haven’t made this recipe seem complicated. Because Charlotte Almondine is actually quite easy to make. And it is out-of-this-world-delicious to eat.
As a matter of fact, it’s so delicious that after I tried one tiny slice, I had to immediately get the dessert out of my house, and into the hands of Brenda Johnson. Brenda, as most of you know, is my taste-tester. She was hosting a dinner party that night, and was only too happy to share this chocolatey, almond-y awesomeness with her guests. Hopefully she will leave a review in the comment section below.
Maybe you can drop me a note in the comments field, too. You know how much I love to hear from you.
Here’s the copy-and-paste version of the above recipe:
Charlotte Almondine
The fortress:
1 package Margherites (Stella D’oro makes these)
1/3 cup orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
2/3 cup waterThe mousse:
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup super-fine sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
8 1/4 oz. slivered almonds, pulverized in a food processor along with 2 tablespoons of super-fine sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted in one 1/4 cup strong, hot coffee
2 cups heavy cream, softly whippedSpecial equipment – a 4-inch tall, straight-sided dish that will hold 8 cups, OR an 8-cup capacity charlotte mold, the bottom lined with a round of waxed (or parchment) paper; a standing mixer; a hand-held electric mixer; additional parchment or waxed paper.
Preparing the cookies and lining the mold – Pour the liqueur and water into a pie plate. One or two at a time, quickly dip the cookiesinto the liquid. Then line them up along the wall of the mold, with the flat side of each cookie facing the wall. Place surplus cookies on a rack to drain.
Making the almond mixture – In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Then beat in the orange liqueur, the almond extract, and the pulverized almonds. Detach the bowl from the mixer, and set it on your work station.
Adding the melted chocolate – Quickly whisk the melted chocolate to insure there are no lumps. Then slowly fold the melted mass into the almond mixture.
The whipped cream – Using an electric hand-beater or a wire whisk, beat the heavy cream until it becomes thick but not stiff. The goal is crème Chantilly — softly-whipped cream. Fold the cream into the almond mixture to produce a mousse.
Filling the mold – Scoop or spoon one third of the mousse into the cookie-lined mold. Lay two cookies atop the mousse. Continue layering mousse and cookies until the top of the mold. The top should be mousse — not cookies. If you have any left over cookies, just eat them.
Weighting and refrigerating the mold – To weight the mousse down, place a sheet of waxed (or parchment) paper over the mold. Then place a heavy can or a 4-cup measure filled water on a pie plate. Set the weighted pie plate over the waxed paper. Refrigerate for 8 hours or up to 3 days.
Unmolding – To unmold, run a knife between the cookies and the wall of the mold. Then set a platter over the mold, and invert the two. If the dessert doesn’t release easily, repeat the knife-trick.
Decoration – For a particularly handsome presentation, top the dessert with stiffly-beaten cream, and decorate with blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries.
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Kimmer says
Oh that looks sooo good! I’m gonna have to try this one!
Cherylann McGuire says
OOOhhh that looks lovely!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Kimmer & Cherylann – It tastes even better than it looks.
Cary says
Taster’s Choice Sexy Dude! Kevin, you are a crackup. He is cute. Epiphany. I volunteer to be your photographer. You work so hard to entertain us with terrific pictures and terrific ideas, and then share them. How about I photograph your steps and be your assistant? Sound good? Sounds good to me. If we weren’t 3 hours apart, I would definitely be a pest on your doorstep ;)!
Brenda Johnson says
Oh Kevin- this WAS delicious!!!!! I managed to save this dessert of beauty to share for our Monday Meal- and it was a huge hit!!! The texture from the almonds, the slight snap of Marguerites, the fluffy whipped cream (fluffy- so calorie free right?) and so delicious!!!!! We all agreed that the combination of chocolate and orange was perfect in combination with the almonds. All of the flavors work perfectly together!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Donna B. says
Brennnndaaaaaa… so envious of your ability to just, y’know… “throw parties” and Kevin shows up with delicious desserts. Mmmmmmmm….
I must try this! There’s something so comforting about mousse… mmmmmm….
Margaret Rose says
Yumz! Might have to make this one for Valentine’s Day!
susan says
Yumm! this will be a must make for my next gathering!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Cary – Oh, to have two hands for cooking, while someone else takes the photographs. What a luxury! Glad you remember the Taster’s Choice dude. He went on to play “Giles” in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Brenda – So glad you and yours enjoyed this calorie-free dessert. Honestly, I had to get it out of the house after one taste, or I knew I’d eat the entire thing. Charlotte Almondine and I are not to be trusted alone together.
Donna B. – This mousse is so rich and delicious it would be wonderful all on its own.
Margaret Rose – Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
susan – If you make this Charlotte Almondine, I hope you’ll let me know how it turns out for you.
trillium says
That is such a beautiful looking dessert! And Creative! I’m going to have to make it – and I can’t wait! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.
prairiecactus says
Lord love a duck! That looks really wonderful!
Arlene Bice says
this is a ‘must’ to make, as beautiful as tasty……I think a dessert party is in order. thank you for your wonderful recipes, flowers & photos!
Melissa Horton says
YOu are so creative! Love this. Where can I purchase the charlotte mold…just like yours?
Soledad Song says
I was watching Season 3 of Downtown Abbey, the episode where the Earl of Grantham tries to ‘rescue’ his wife, mother, and daughters from the impropriety of lunching at his daughter’s mother-in-law’s house, where they are being served by a (shock and horrors) former prostitute!
The ladies refuse to leave before dessert and miss such a lovely pudding:
a Charlotte Russe.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Soledad Song – Loved the Dowager’s comment to her son, the Earl: “It would be a pity to miss such a good pudding.” Good for her. And stay tuned — I’ll probably make this pudding before long!
Hi Melissa – I bought my Charlotte mold from Amazon. Scroll up, and you’ll find a link to the product in the right-hand column, under the heading “My Favorite Charlotte Mold.”
martykuki says
Oh what a lovely thing you made! And I ESPECIALLY appreciate the fact that you are doing all the cooking and photography yourself, and that you show mistakes and imperfections! I learn so much more from watching a process in which the imperfections are allowed to show; it makes the whole thing so much less academic and so much more within my reach. If this had been some Martha Stewarty thing, all perfection and polished surfaces, I would probably just have thought, “Hmmm, that”s a lot of sugar, and too fastidious and complicated for me.” I’ve never made a dessert like this but I think I’m going to have to get a mold and give it a try! Thanks.
Heather says
Kevin, this looks so yummy I can’t wait to try one. Can you please provide a measurement amount for the almonds in cups. I am blessed to live in the Central Valley of California surrounded by almond orchards. My neighbors provide me with loads of almond flour (just groin up almonds not really a flour) that I am always looking for recipes to use it in and this would be perfect. Also do you have a suggestion for something that could be used in placebos the liqueur? Unfortunately, I can’t have raw alcohol. 🙁
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
martykuki – So glad you appreciate this recipe, warts and all! Actually, I made another one the other day, but this time, to “mask” the imperfections, I dusted the top and sides of the charlotte with confectioner’s sugar. Then I piped whipped cream on the top, and around the base of the cookies. What an easy fix! I’ll post a photo soon.
Heather – This is so delicious you will scream. Ground almonds: use one cup, or just slightly more (exact measurements are not necessary). As a substitute for the orange liqueur, use plain orange juice (the kind without pulp).
Kristin Smith says
Now I know why it’s called a Charlotte pan and why you are so found of it. Thanks for the sweet moments in my week following your practical and delectable narratives. Always a treat, like a visit with a good friend.
Susi says
I would definitely fly to dinner with him– what a romantic ad.
Gail Bowman says
Kevin….I read your blog religiously and enjoy both the cooking and gardening portions. I am, however, a recovering AAA member…lol Can this recipe be made without the alcohol? What can you suggest?
Gail Bowman says
Well, I blotched that…lol Sounds like I’m drinking again. I am 13 years sober. I know the difference between AA and AAA..lol
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Kristin Smith – Yes, I’m in love with my charlotte mold!
Susi – Very romantic. And downright racy for the early 1990s!
Gail Bowman – Funny – I didn’t notice you’d typed triple A instead of double until you pointed it out! Here’s what I’d do: swap the orange-liqueur for plain orange juice (the kind without pulp). Enjoy!
Carolyn says
I made this for dessert on Valentines Day and oh my God, it is really rich and delish.
Mary Lise says
Gorgeous dessert! I truly enjoy all of the posts on your wonderful blog…
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Carolyn – So glad you tried — and liked — this dessert. Not too hard to make, right?
Mary Lise – Hope you’ll try this great beauty!
Apryl says
I have saved so many of your Newsletters that I finally made a special “Kevin’s Gardens” mailbox to store them. Thank you for all the great recipes and gardening and house plant advice. Cheerful to look at on a gloomy, cold winter day. ~ Apryl
~
MAX GERSENSON says
can starting the seeds in winter as you have shown be used to start the seeds directly in the garden (also in winter) so that no transplanting will be necessary. The seeds will root in their actual growing spot and be cold hardened with the roots undisturbed. What might the shortcomings be (if any)?