Ireland

apple Cake


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Apple Cake

Background

Apples have been in Ireland for at least 3000 years. Remains, of the now named European crab apple, have been found in County Meath. Apples had such a value that cutting an apple tree down that Brehon law carried a punishment of between 3-5 cows. Known cultivation of apples was from at least the 7th century, where monks kept orchards both for food and for creating cider.


With no ovens until modern times, Irish apple cakes were steamed in pots beside an open fire. In this recipe we use an oven, but do so in an iron skillet as a tribute to older times.

Recipe

Irish apple cake is much less sweet than American's think of cake. There are so many variations. Some are heavy like bread, others light; some cooked in a deep plate, others in a cake pan. This recipe uses a cast iron pan to cook and is of heavy consistency, more like bread. We used whole wheat pastry flour. To make a lighter cake use white flour.  The finished cake can be eaten warm with butter or with custard sauce which is tradition.

Prep:  25 min

Cook:  45-60 min

Total:  1:10 hrs - 1:25

Servings:  10

Oven:  350°

INGREDIENTS 

3c plus 3 tbp all purpose flour, divided

1 tbsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small cubes (or coconut oil)

3 large eggs

3/4 c. heavy cream

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 lb.  (~3 large) granny smith apples, thinly sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

3 tbsp. white sugar, for topping


CUSTARD SAUCE:

6 large egg yolks

6T-1/4 cup sugar (depends how sweet you like it)

1 1/2 cups of whole milk, half & half, or cream

pinch of salt

1 1/2 t vanilla

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9” cast iron pan or butter a spring form pan and line the sides and bottom with parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar. Add cubed butter and incorporate with your hands or a pastry knife until the mixture is fine pebbles or like sand.
  • Whisk eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla, then add to flour mixture.
  • Coat sliced apples with remaining 3 tablespoons, then fold into batter.
  • Transfer cake batter (it will be very thick) to prepared pan and press down with a spoon to even.
  • Sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired.
  • Bake until apples are very tender and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, between 45-60 minutes.
  • Let cool completely in the pan before removing.
  • Serve warm with butter or add custard sauce

CUSTARD SAUCE:

  • Combine the milk and pinch of salt in a medium sized saucepan and bring to just under a boil.  Do not let boil or the mixture will cook the eggs in the next step.
  • In medium size bowl, whisk together the egg yolks an sugar until smooth and well mixed (~3 min by hand)
  • Slowly, add the hot milk to the eggs/sugar a little bit at a time whisking constantly.  
  • Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan and stir over medium heat.  The custard will gradually thicken (~4 minutes).  Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  This is a sauce vs a pudding so should be pourable.  
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Step-by-Step

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9” cast iron pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar.  Add cubed butter and cut until fine.

Add cut up apples into mixture and mix until apples are coated.

Mix together eggs, cream, and vanilla, then add to apple mixture.

Stir until just mixed and there is no dry left. 

Move dough cast iron pan.  Flatten with spoon. Sprinkle sugar over the top.

Bake for between 45-60 minutes until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.

CUSTARD SAUCE

In medium size bowl, whisk together the egg yolks an sugar until smooth and well mixed (~3 min by hand).  Combine the milk and pinch of salt in a medium sized saucepan and bring to just under a boil.  

Slowly, add the hot milk to the eggs/sugar a little bit at a time whisking constantly. 

Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan and stir over medium heat.  The custard will gradually thicken (~4 minutes).  Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

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