Apple Cake on Shortcrust Pastry

Today was supposed to be salmon lasagna, but at the last minute I decided to share the recipe for this delicious apple cake instead. Come back for the lasagna tomorrow morning, or on Friday if I manage.

Actually, this is supposed to be a quince cake, but I couldn't get any quince. I liked the recipe so much that I decided to try it anyway, with apples instead of quince. I'm sure it will be just as delicious with pears, and I will definitely try the quince version. If anyone decides to go with quince, please drop me a few words. Before it goes on the dough, the quince just needs to be peeled, sliced and simmered in water with lemon juice for 5 minutes.

Apple Cake on Shortcrust Pastry

What won me over? The crisp, buttery base, which I adore in cakes, the delicate layer of apples, and the fluffy, light-as-a-cloud cake surrounding them. I've just come from tasting the cake while it was still warm. Too bad there won't be seconds, but unfortunately it's all gone. Eaten in 5 minutes.

Apple Cake on Shortcrust Pastry

Instructions:

Mix the flour with the baking powder, sugar, vanilla sugar, butter and egg, and quickly knead into a shortcrust dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the apples, remove the cores and cut them into thick slices. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and cinnamon (I like a looot of it).

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the chilled dough to the size of a 26 cm springform pan + 2-3 cm and line the pan with it, folding the edges up (you should end up with a base like for a tart). Prick the dough with a fork in several places, cover it with parchment paper, pour dried peas or beans on top, and blind-bake the base for about 13 minutes.

After baking, remove the paper with the peas. Arrange the apple slices on the dough in overlapping rows, like roof tiles.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites until stiff. Toward the end of beating, add the sugar, and once the whites are well beaten, add the yolks, sour cream and potato starch. Pour the mixture over the apples (it can, and even should, spill a bit past the apples onto the edges of the crust) and bake for about 30 minutes at 180°C (350°F) on the middle rack. If the top starts to brown too much, move the cake to the second rack in the oven. Take the cake out of the oven, remove the springform ring after about 15 minutes, and let it cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Enjoy!

Inspiration: “Das neue Kochbuch durchs Jahr,” published by Stiftung Warentest