Charlotte Dessert - little experiment

Simplicity...
Today was supposed to be quick and easy.  I already introduced a recipe for Polish apple pie called "Szarlotka". Cold and super windy days like the one today make apples with cinnamon sound really good. Here is a simple alternative for "Szarlotka": Charlotte Dessert.

I read about it while making "Szarlotka" a few weeks ago. Charlotte used to be a very popular dessert in Old-Polish, Austrian and French cuisine. It is nothing else, even the name sounds so sophisticated, but a warm, apple dessert baked in a casserole dish or in ramekins.
(Santa, please send some ramekins my way! I have been good and have been learning how to cook! :))))

The baking dish should be lined with bread crumbs, cake pieces or sponge fingers. I used vanilla wafers, but I didn't crush them (Mistake # 1). Also, in my speedy mood, I didn't cook apples long enough (Mistake # 2), so my Charlotte Dessert didn't turn out to be a complete success. But hey, it was still delicious! Apples are apples and you can't go wrong with them:)) I must have forgotten that I owe the lids! A lid over a pan will do the job:)) Many recipes for Charlotte call for addition of apricot jelly. I believe, that perfect consistency of this dessert would be soft and jelly-like.
I did it MY WAY again and it was worth it anyways!

Recipe:
4 peeled tart apples,
2 Tbsp sugar,
1 Tbsp butter,
2 Tbsp craisins (my own addition),
2 Tbsp raisins,
cinnamon,
crushed vanilla wafers or whole size sponge fingers.
**** Additional ingredients that I didn't have:
4-5 Tbsp apricot jelly,
some rum.

1. Wash and peel apples. Cut them into small chunks and cook covered with sugar, cinnamon and butter until soft. Stir once in a while and make sure that they do not turn into a marmalade:)
2. Add raisins and craisins if desired. * If you have apricot jelly mix it in, too. Don't cook.
3. Crush wafers and mix them with melted butter (2 Tbsp) or, if using sponge fingers, soak them in some rum. Line bottom and sides of baking pan (6 x 8.5 in) with crumbs/sponge fingers.
4. Spread apple mixture over the cookies and bake at 350 ºF for 30 min.

Serve warm with whipped cream, ice cream or vanilla sauce.
Smacznego!

Ps. With Holiday Season around the corner, this was my last recipe with apples. I promise:)