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Monday, September 16, 2013

Apples, From Tree to Cake Pan

Back to Monday and fall is creeping upon us (kind of...). I've got apple picking on the brain and until I go, I'm just going to dream about it by dedicating this post to the lovely apple. Sweet, tart, crispy, crunchy, the glorious apple comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, textures, and uses. Here are three recipes that will put your freshly picked or purchased apples to a sophisticated and delicate use - the apple cake. Enjoy!


Tart Apple Cake
Saveur

Ingredients

  • 11 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled, plus more for pan
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
  • 1 ⅓ cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9" springform pan; set aside. In a food processor, pulse 5 tbsp. butter, flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into pea-size crumbles. Add vanilla and 1 egg; mix until a soft, sticky dough forms. Add to prepared pan, dip your fingers in flour, and press dough evenly into bottom and halfway up the sides of pan. Arrange apple slices in a tight circular pattern, overlapping, and pressing slightly into dough. Bake until apples are tender and dough is almost cooked through, 35-40 minutes. 
  2. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in a bowl; whisk in remaining sugar and eggs, plus cinnamon. Remove cake from oven and pour butter mixture evenly over apples. Bake until top is browned and set, 12-15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack until cool; remove from pan, cut into slices and serve with vanilla ice cream, if you like.



Marie-Helene's Apple Cake
Dorie Greenspan, Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Directions
  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.
  3. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's evenish.
  5. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it’s fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.
Serving
The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream. Marie-Hélène's served her cake with cinnamon ice cream and it was a terrific combination.
Storing
The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature and, according to my husband, gets more comforting with each passing day. However long you keep the cake, it's best not to cover it — it's too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.



French Apple Cake
Chris Kimball

Ingredients

  • 11/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise
  • 1 tablespoon Calvados
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons -all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (7 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon -granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Confectioners' sugar

Directions
  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes.
  2. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.
  3. Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.
  4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.
  5. Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1¼ hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.
Tips: The microwaved apples should be pliable but not completely soft when cooked. To test for doneness, take one apple slice and try to bend it. If it snaps in half, it's too firm; microwave it for an additional 30 seconds and test again. If Calvados is unavailable, 1 tablespoon of apple brandy or white rum can be substituted.
Happy baking!

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