Charlotte Russe


This is the first of my Family Thanksgiving Favorites I'll be sharing over the next week!  It is our traditional Thanksgiving dessert.  What?  No pumpkin pie?  No pie at all at our house!  This fluffy, custardy yumminess beats pie any day in my book!  It's a tiny bit complicated to make but totally worth the effort!!

Charlotte Russe

2 envelopes of gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups milk (scalded)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
2 cups whipping cream
1 package lady fingers

In a double boiler combine the gelatin, sugar and salt.  If you don't have a double boiler you can make one.  Simply get two pots and place the larger one on top of the smaller.  Fill the bottom pot with 1-2 inches of water and boil.  The heat from the boiling water will be enough to cook your mixture without overcooking it.

Scald your milk.  Scalded milk is basically milk that has just reached  boiling point.  You can use a thermometer if you want.  I didn't.  Just watch it very closely and stir stir stir!  You don't want it to burn and it can go from scalded to burnt very quickly.  As soon as you start to see bubbles take it off the heat and add it to your gelatin mixture.

Stir in the hot milk and then slowly add your beaten egg yolks.  Make sure you are stirring constantly.

Cook while stirring until your mixture coats the spoon.  If you've never cooked with an egg custard before you might not be familiar with the term "coats the spoon".  You want to be able to dip a spoon in the mixture and have it stick to it.  The easiest way to check is to dip your soon in and then draw a line down the back of the spoon with your finger.  If the mixture runs into the line you need to keep cooking. If the lines stay pretty solid you can move on to the next step.

Take the mixture off of the heat and cool.  Add your vanilla.

Refrigerate until the mixture mounds slightly.  This means that when you stir the mixture it gloops up a little bit.  Don't let it get too thick in the fridge.

While the mixture is cooling in the fridge beat your egg white and your cream in 2 separate bowls.  After you take it out first fold in the eggs whites and then fold in the cream.

To serve, line your bowl with lady fingers.  Alternate layers of the custard and lady fingers until you've used all of the custard.  Refrigerate until a few minutes before serving.

**

There you have it.  This is heavenly.  We seriously argue at our house each year about who gets seconds.  It is so light and fluffy and creamy and wonderful!!  It is sweet without being too sweet and tastes like a lighter version of a pudding.  It is definitely worth all of the extra effort!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!  Come back tomorrow for another family favorite!

Comments

  1. Oh, I have never heard of this, and it looks amazing! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Love seeing new faces. Have a blessed week, Happy Thanksgiving and please come back soon ~EMM

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  2. Oh my Nana always made this at Christmas and I never got the recipe.
    Thank you! I will save and be making this year.

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  3. My policy is only to try recommended, tried and true recipes! Thanks!...this looks delicious! Glad I found your site via Sew Many Ways.

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  4. This is a recipe that I've not heard of before. It does look rather delicious.

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  5. It sounds really yummy! This is also the name of one of my favorite stores. I wonder if they named the store after this dessert? Stopping by from Mom's Mingle. I am a new follower. Hope to see you at True aim! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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  6. My mother made something like this! But I don't know how she calls it... She use gelatin as well but she added some fruits; maybe is not the same. I will ask her :)
    Thanks for joining Nice to Meet You {GFC Blog Hop}! Hope to see you linking up again tomorrow :)
    Have a nice week!
    -Mariely @ Sensational Creations

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  7. Oh yummy! That sounds delicious!!!

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  8. I've never tried this dessert, although I have heard of it. It looks delicious! I love these kind of creamy treats!

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  9. This looks and sounds amazing! Thank you for linking up with the Clever Chicks this week; I hope you’ll join us again!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  10. Really nice recipe! You should share more images! Thanks to join to my link party!

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  11. This looks delicious. I would love to have you share this with this weeks Wednesday's Adorned From Above Blog Hop. The link to the party is
    http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/11/washi-tape-idea-book-and-wednesdays.html#
    I hope to see you there.
    Have a great week.
    Debi @ Adorned From Above

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  12. Sounds delish- I always wondered what Charlotte Russe was! Thanks for sharing at Meatless Monday last week :) I hope you had a nice holiday :)

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  13. I've never heard of this either...but I think I would love it!

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  14. WOW. I love your Charlotte Russe recipe. I always use lady fingers for tiramisu. thanks for linking up to Food Friends Friday. Hope to see you there again.
    Your co-host -Marlene Baird from Nosh My way.

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  15. Laura,
    This looks like a delicious dessert, I can't wait to taste it. Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  16. Thanks you shared this wonderful recipe at my link party!

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  17. Oh my gosh this looks yummy! I found you through Hungry Little Girl. Please come share at my Farm Girl Blog Fest: http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/12/farm-girl-blog-fest-13.html

    Happy Holidays!
    Lisa
    Fresh Eggs Daily

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  18. Thanks so much for sharing at Wednesday's Adorned From Above Blog Hop. Today’s party is live. Here is the link.
    http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/01/week-in-review-and-wednesdays-adorned.html
    Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above

    ReplyDelete
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