I
love apple season! I buy a big bushel
of Granny Smith apples and just start peeling.
Baked apples, apple pie, Danish apple pancakes, apple butter,
applesauce, and French apple cake are just a few of delicious treats that leave
my kitchen.
This
week, I focused on French apple cake. There are many recipes for French apple
cake on the Internet. Some use butter, others oil. Some call for whole eggs, others only egg
yolks. There also appeared to be a wide variety of dairy products used,
everything from milk to sour cream. I also found recipes that used pecans,
caramel sauce, or Calvados.
Relying
on my distinct preferences for certain ingredients, I was finally able to
create a cake that satisfied my palate. Served with a touch of whipped cream and cinnamon coffee, it is the
perfect treat on a dreary afternoon!
French
apple cake
6
large (1 ½ lbs.) Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced thinly and cut into chunks.
1
tsp. lemon juice
2
TB. brandy
1
c. + ½ c. flour
1/2
c. brown sugar
½
c. sugar
2
tsp. baking powder
1
tsp. cinnamon
½
tsp. salt
3/4
c. sour cream
3/4
c. vegetable oil
1
egg
1
TB. vanilla
2
egg yolks
Preheat
the oven to 325 degrees. Par cook the
sliced apples for approximately 20 minutes. The apples should be just soft
enough to bend. Blot the apples with
paper towels to remove any excess moisture, and then toss with1 tablespoon brandy
and the lemon juice.
Whisk
together the dry ingredients (minus the 1/2 cup of flour) and set aside.
Mix together the remaining wet ingredients and add the dry
ingredients. Divide the batter in
half. To one half, add the egg yolks and
the cooled apples. To the other add up
to ½ c, flour. Pour the apple batter on
the bottom of a greased, lined 9” square or round pan. Pour the second layer on top, and spread
evenly.
Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes,
until the top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for about an hour and dust with
powdered sugar. Serve with a vanilla or
caramel ice cream, or vanilla whipped cream.
French
apple cake, deconstructed
6 large (1
½ lbs.) Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced thinly and cut into chunks
1
tsp. lemon juice
2
TB. brandy
>Health alert: Brandy contains alcohol and sugar. It may present a heath concern for those watching sugar levels, or those who abstain from alcohol. In the alternative, toss the apples with non-alcoholic brandy flavoring or vanilla, or brown sugar. As always, check any ingredient labels carefully.
1
c. + ½ c. flour
>Health alert: If white flour presents a health concern, the best option may be a nut, or gluten-free flour.
1/2
c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
>Health alert: If sugar is a dietary concern, and sugar substitute may be used.
2
tsp. baking powder
1
tsp. cinnamon
½
tsp. salt
3/4 c. sour cream
>Fat alert: Sour cream is high in fat. If fat is a dietary concern, substitute a low or no-fat sour cream or skim milk.
>Health alert: Sour cream is a dairy product. If dairy if a dietary concern, use a vegan sour cream or a non-dairy milk.
3/4 c. vegetable oil
>Fat alert: Vegetable oil is pure fat. If fat is a dietary concern, try substituting white bean puree. It creates a very nice cake texture.
1
TB. vanilla
1
egg
2
egg yolks
>Health alert: If whole eggs are a dietary concern, the best substitute is an egg substitute product, such as Better than Eggs or Egg Beaters. In the alternative, egg whites may be used.
>Ingredient alert: Egg yolks create a custard-like texture in the cake. Egg whites are more drying. If using only egg whites, it may be necessary to increase the amount of fat in the batter.
(Follow the instructions above.)
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