Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz lightly salted butter
• softened
• 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• 1 loaf medium sliced white bread
• crusts removed
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar
• 100g/3½oz lightly salted butter
• 2kg/4lb 8oz Cox apples
• peeled
• cored and cut into 8 equal wedges
• 500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• seeds scraped
• 5 free-range egg yolks
• 30g/1oz caster sugar

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Generously butter the inside of the Charlotte mould with butter
• then dust with the sugar.
• Using a 4cm/1½in round cookie cutter
• cut out rounds of white bread and then line the mould in an overlapping pattern
• pressing down to seal as you go. Set the remaining bread aside. Transfer the mould to the fridge while you make the filling.
• To make the filling
• heat the sugar in a large sauté pan over a medium heat until it reaches a dark caramel colour. Tip in the butter and let the mixture bubble for a few seconds. Add the apples
• toss to coat in the caramel
• then cook over a high heat for 5 minutes
• stirring occasionally.
• Pour the apple filling into the lined mould
• then top with enough pieces of bread to seal. Clip the lid on firmly
• or if you’re using a pudding basin
• cover with foil and rest a heavy baking tray on top. Bake for 30 minutes
• then remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a warm serving plate.
• Meanwhile
• to make the custard
• combine the milk
• vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile
• whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large
• heatproof bowl.
• Pour the milk through a sieve onto the egg yolk mixture
• whisking as you pour to combine. Return the mixture to the pan over a low heat and cook gently for 2–3 minutes
• stirring constantly
• until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. As soon as the custard is cooked
• pour into a serving jug. Serve alongside the apple Charlotte. See recipe tips below.