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1
Quarter, peel, and core the apples.
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2
Slice them roughly into 1/8-inch pieces.
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3
You should have about 4 quarts.
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4
Place in pan, cover, and cook over very low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
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5
Uncover and beat in the apricot preserves, sugar, vanilla, rum, and butter.
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6
Raise heat and boil, stirring almost continuously until water content has all but evaporated20 minutes or more.
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7
The puree should be a very thick and fairly stiff paste which holds itself in a solid mass in the spoon.
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8
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
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9
Remove crusts from the bread.
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10
Cut a square and 4 semicircles of bread to fit the bottom of the mold exactly.
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11
Saute to a very light golden color in 3 or 4 tablespoons of the clarified butter.
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12
Fit them into the bottom of the mold.
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13
Cut the rest of the bread into strips 1 1/4 inches wide.
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14
Dip in clarified butter and fit them, overlapping each other, around the inner circumference of the mold.
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15
Trim off protruding ends.
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16
Pack the apple puree into the mold, allowing it to form a dome about 3/4 inch high in the middle.
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17
(It will sink as it cools.)
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18
Cover with 4 or 5 butter-dipped bread strips.
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19
Pour any remaining clarified butter over the ends of the bread around the edges of the mold.
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20
Set in a pan (to catch butter drippings) and bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
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21
Slip a knife between bread and sides of mold; if bread is golden brown, the charlotte is done.
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22
Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.
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23
Reverse the mold on a serving platter and lift the mold up a few inches to see if the sides of the dessert will hold.
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24
If there is any suggestion of collapse, lower the mold over the dessert again; it will firm up as it cools.
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25
Test after 5 minutes or so, until the mold can safely be removed.
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26
Boil the apricot, rum, and sugar until thick and sticky.
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27
Spread it over the charlotte.
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28
Serve the dessert hot, warm, or cold, with the optional sauce or cream.
