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Sticky Apple Cake with Creme Normande | DonalSkehan.com
  • desserts-baking

Sticky Apple Cake with Creme Normande

October 06

This sticky apple cake is served with creme normande. It’s a reliable cake that can be served as a sweet treat with coffee or brought to the dinner table in full glory with a maple caramel drizzle. The cake can be made in advance and keeps well for at least 3-5 days wrapped tightly in cling film.

 

  • serves Serves 10
  • time 90mins + chilling

Method

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/340°F/ Gas Mark 3 . Grease and line a 20cm (5cm deep) loose bottomed cake tin.
  2. 2. For the sponge, put the butter into a pan over a medium heat and allow to melt. Cook until the milk solids catch and it starts to smell nutty. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool then chill until it is set, but not hard.
  3. 3. Peel, core and chop 2 of the apples. Put in a pan over a medium-high heat and add 50ml water and the 1 tbsp caster sugar. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently and adding more water if necessary, until mostly turned to a purée. Take off the heat and leave to cool completely.
  4. 4. In a mixing bowl, cream the reserved brown butter and caster sugar with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and cooled apple.
  5. 5. Sift over the flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt, then fold into the mixture then fold in the yoghurt.
  6. 6. Peel, core and slice the remaining two apples and arrange them over the base of the cake tin. Scatter with the brown sugar then spoon into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour until the sponge bounces back when touched.
  7. 7. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a serving plate and allow to cool to room temperature.
  8. 8. Put the caster sugar for the caramel in a pan over a medium high heat with 2 tbsp water and gently melt the sugar then increase the heat and bubble without stirring until it turns lovely and golden. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, it will sputter and spit but once calm should be a smooth glossy sauce. If it starts to seize at all just rewarm it over a low heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  9. 9. For the creme normande, beat the creme fraiche with the sugar and brandy and chill for at least an hour before serving.
  10. 10. Serve the cake in slices with a dollop of the cream and a drizzle of the caramel sauce.

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Ingredients

1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter

4 tart dessert apples such as cox

6oz caster sugar plus 1 tbsp extra

3 medium eggs

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

6.5oz self raising flour

½ tsp baking powder 

2 tbsp greek or natural yoghurt 

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

 

For the creme normande:

10oz thick creme fraiche

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp calvados brandy

 

For the caramel drizzle:

1.7oz caster sugar

1.5oz unsalted butter

4 tbsp maple syrup

4 fl oz double cream

200g unsalted butter

4 tart dessert apples such as cox

175g caster sugar plus 1 tbsp extra

3 medium eggs

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

190g self raising flour

½ tsp baking powder 

2 tbsp greek or natural yoghurt 

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

 

For the creme normande:

300g thick creme fraiche

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp calvados brandy

 

For the caramel drizzle:

50g caster sugar

40g unsalted butter

4 tbsp maple syrup

120ml double cream

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