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1
Saute the apple pieces in 2 tablespoons of the butter for 2 to 3 minutes.
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2
Sprinkle on brown sugar and lemon peel and continue for 5 minutes or more, until the apples start to brown and caramelize.
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3
Stir in the cinnamon, apricot jam, vanilla, and rum, and saute another 2 minutes or so, until apples have absorbed the liquid.
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4
Set racks in middle and lower-middle levels and preheat the oven to 425F.
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5
Arrange 4 slices of bread in a square on your work surface.
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6
Center a 6-cup straight-sided circular baking dish such as a charlotte on the square, and cut around the bottom to make a circle of bread in 4 pieces; reserve them.
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7
Cut a 2-inch circle from another slice, and reserve.
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8
Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a frying pan and brown the reserved bread pieces, including the circle, on both sides.
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9
Then brown the trimmings.
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10
Butter the bottom of the baking dish and line with a circle of wax paper.
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11
Arrange the circle of sauteed bread pieces over it (but reserve the small circle).
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12
Halve all the remaining bread slices lengthwise.
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13
One by one, dip each piece in the remaining butter and arrange upright and slightly overlapping around the inside of the mold.
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14
Spoon layers of sauteed apples alternating with sauteed bread trimmings (which act as fillers) into the dish, letting the filling hump 3/4 inch over the rim.
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15
Set in the middle rack of the oven, and then slide a pan underneath to catch any juices.
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16
Bake for about 30 minutes, pressing down on apples several times with a spatula, until bread strips lining the sides have browned nicely.
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17
Remove from oven and let rest at least 1 hour.
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18
Unmold onto a serving plate, paint top and sides with apricot glaze; center the small circle on top and glaze.
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19
Serve warm or cold, with the creme anglaise on page 78.
