Huguenot torte is probably Charleston’s most famous dessert. It is however neither Huguenot nor a torte, but rather something a bit like the love child of apple crisp and pecan pie. A light batter barely holds a combination of equal parts apples and pecans, baked until crisp and browned on top, almost meringue- like. A dollop of whipped cream finishes the sweet-tart dessert.
The dish seems to be derived from something known as Ozark pudding, which was a favorite dessert of Harry Truman. The recipe first appears under the name Huguenot Torte in 1950 in Charleston Receipts, the city’s legendary community cookbook. It became the signature dish for the Huguenot Tavern, a Charleston restaurant where the recipe’s originator, Evelyn Anderson Florance, worked. The tavern became known for the dessert, which was named to honor the Huguenots— Protestant French who were among the first settlers in Charleston. Its recipe has been shared far and wide.
