Apple Cake by bocca

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Apple Cake
Submitted by bocca on January 21, 2008 at 12:27 pm

DESCRIPTION
Apple Cake

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Family / Ethnic / Regional

INSTRUCTIONS
Festive Baking by Sarah Kelly Iaia
Apfelstreuselkuchen
Apple Crumb Cake

For many years, whenever I’ve visited my friends in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany, we’ve always made a Sunday coffee outing to the tiny village of Freudenback, a half hour’s drive away, where Annie Gramm, proprietress of the Gasthof Sonnenhof, baker her delicious Apfelstreusekluchen. While normally Streuselkuchen would be thought of as an everyday cake not worthy of any great excursion, Annie’s cake has always been much lighter and more crumbly then anyone else’s. After eating many cakes, we finally asked her for the secret, and learned that she mixes the baking powder with the gg before adding it to the butter and flour. Since baking powder is activated immediately when it is mixed with liquid ingredients and since the pasty isn’t allowed to rest before baking, the leavening agent goes to work with full force, producing this especially light crumb.
For a filling, Annie cooks the apple mixture first, then spoons it on top of the bottom layer of pastry, covering with pastry crumbs. She also recommended rhubarb as an excellent filling, on which I heartily concur:
Once you have cooked the filling, this is a very fast and easy cake to prepare.

Makes 1 8-inch cake
Apple filling
2 pounds green or yellow apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar or more to taste if you prefer a sweet filling and if the apples are very sour
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Pastry
1/2 cup butter chilled
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Prepare the filling

Mix all the filling ingredients together in a heavy saucepan. Cook the mixture, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the apples aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. In necessary, add a few more drops of water. Cook until the apples are almost pureed but still have some texture, about 15 minutes. If there is excess liquid, turn the heat to high and simmer, uncovered, stirring so the apples don’t stick to the pan. When the mixture is quite thick, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature or refrigerate until needed. The filling can be prepared several days in advance if desired.

Prepare the pastry

Using the coarse blades of a hand grater, flake the chilled butter into a large bowl. In a small bowl or cup, mix the egg together with the sugar and baking powder using a fork. Pour the egg mixture onto the butter, stirring it in slightly just to help separate the flakes. Sift the flour on top of the butter and egg. Using your fingertips, work the flour into the other ingredients to make a crumb-like texture.
Lightly butter an 8-in spring form pan and press a little over half of the crumb mixture into the bottom. Pat it in evenly with lightly floured hands. It should resemble a normal rich pastry, having lost its crumb like texture. Prick the pasty with the tines of a fork. Preheat the oven to 350° F

Assembling

Spoon the cooled apple filling evenly over the pastry. Crumble the remaining pastry mixture over the filling, distributing the crumbs evenly.
Baking and Finishing

Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes, or until risen and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to rest several minutes. While still hot, dust with sifter powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. If you like serve with thick unwhipped or lightly whipped cream with the cake.

comments
Submitted by kathieelia on Mon, 2010-09-13 21:10.
My Mother use to make what we called German apple cake or a crumb cake using the same base. The apples were thin sliced and placed in rows. She was from Kassel and we never learned the recipe before she passed away. The base for this cake seems remarkably similar and I can't wait to try it!
Submitted by bocca on Fri, 2010-09-17 20:16.
My family has loved this recipe for years.

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• This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by htfoot.

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