‘Student’ peach charlotte

One of those easy, ‘twist-on-a-classic’ dishes that requires minimal effort levels – a win-win! These next few dishes were inspired by the recipes in Elizabeth Bard’s book ‘Lunch in Paris.’

This is not like the Russian apple charlotte, but is more reminiscent of a classic French charlotte made with bread, except this one uses ladyfingers.  The version I made uses canned peaches because they have been one of my favorite dessert treats since I was a little kid, but you could go with pears or apricots as suggested in the book (these may be a little harder to find).

You’ll need:

• 1 package (about 25-30) Italian ladyfinger biscuits  (savoiardi)
• 3 cups Greek yogurt
• 825 g canned peaches in heavy syrup (for me this was about two medium-sized cans)

1. Line the sides of a small saucepan or charlotte dish, approximately 15 cm in diameter, with plastic wrap.
   
2. Line the sides of your mold with the ladyfingers. You can use a dab of yogurt to keep them in place if you like.
3. Arrange a layer of biscuits on the bottom of the pan (cut them to fit). Try to make them symmetrical, as this layer will become the top when you serve.
4. Add a layer of Greek yogurt (about 3/4 cup) and a layer of sliced peaches. Top with a layer of biscuits, press gently, then pour over 1/4 cup peach syrup. Repeat for 2-3 more layers, pressing the ladyfingers down between each one.

5. Pour an extra 1/4 cup syrup around the edge to make sure the outer biscuits are moist.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and press the top lightly with a plate or saucer to condense the mixture. Chill for at least 12 hours (overnight is best).

7. To unmold, place the serving plate on top of the saucepan and flip, giving the pan a gentle shake. Carefully peel away the plastic lining if it sticks. I was a bit nervous about this but it works – just line the pan/mold carefully with plastic wrap.