Etymology

charlotte russe

char·lotte russe

Today it means: A dessert of custard or whipped cream enclosed in sponge cake, often in the form of ladyfingers. Full definition →

First used mid 19th c.French charlotte russe
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The story

  1. French · borrowed fromcharlotte russe
  2. English todaycharlotte russe

Borrowed from French charlotte russe (literally “Russian charlotte”). The origin of the term is obscure; one theory is that the dish was created by French chef Marie-Antoine Carême (1784–1833) and named in honour of his employer Alexander I of Russia.

First known use, by meaning

  • from mid 19th c. A dessert of custard or whipped cream enclosed in sponge cake, often in the form of ladyfingers.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.