Friday, September 9, 2011

Apple Cake fame in Winnipeg

 

Our local paper here in Winnipeg runs a recipe swap. Readers send in their recipes and through a process I have not entirely figured out, some are chosen to be published. When I read Apples, everything stopped and I had to get my readers involved. Alison published 2 recipes that I think I worthy of a shout out and more test kitchen input. How about it friends? Let's put our apples where our cake is, get fallish and bake cakes! Apple cakes!

So my friends lets give these recipes a go shall we? The second featuring an "eggy cake" scares me. But maybe "eggy" is good ... afterall it reads well.

My challenge is for you to bake up these cakes in the next couple of weeks and get back to me via comments, what your honest opinions about these recipes are. (pictures please) 

In putting this out there I also want to see your best apples! In a Cake that is! Please send in your wares so I can get these to our Recipe swap Alison here in Winnipeg. (we take apples seriously here in this province) SO lets get fallish and send in some Yumm to Winnipeg.

Helen Pitura's Dutch apple cake (Helen I am looking forward to this one)

250 ml (1 cup) all-purpose flour
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) baking powder
2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
60 ml (4 tbsp) white sugar
57 g (1/4 cup) butter
1 egg
60 ml (1/4 cup) whole milk, room temperature


Topping:
750 ml (about 3 cups) thinly sliced apples (about 3 large apples)
5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon
1 ml (1/4 tsp) nutmeg
125 ml (1/2 cup) brown sugar
45 ml (3 tbsp) butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 175C (350F). Butter a 22 x 22 cm (9 x 9 in) square cake pan. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or working with your fingers, until mixture is like coarse meal. In a cup, beat together the egg and milk, and add to the flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Mixture will be thick and slightly sticky, like biscuit dough. Spread batter into prepared pan. Arrange sliced apples in rows on top. Mix the spices, brown sugar and butter into a paste and then sprinkle over the apples. Bake for about 30 minutes, and serve warm with ice cream, whipping cream or cheese.
Tester's notes: This is a simple dessert, the flat, biscuitty bottom contrasting nicely with the sweet, almost caramelly topping. Make sure to slice the apples thin so they can cook up in the allotted time.


Els Tessier's apple cake (can hardly wait for "eggy")

85 g (6 tbsp) butter or 60 ml (1/4 cup) oil
250 ml (1 cup) white sugar
2 eggs
5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla
250 ml (1 cup) all-purpose flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda
pinch salt
500 ml (about 2 cups), or about 2 large tart apples, diced
zest of one orange
125 ml (1/2 cup) raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 175C (350F). Grease a 22 x 22 cm (9 x 9 in) square cake pan or a 25 cm (10 in) round pie plate. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until light. Add cinnamon and vanilla. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Fold into first mixture, just until combined. Add diced apples, peel and raisins, if using. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Sprinkle with icing sugar and cool. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Tester's notes: A moist, eggy cake with a lovely flavour that would be great for dessert, for morning coffee or for afternoon tea.


Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 7, 2011 D4 for sole use of  the recipes.
"THANKS to all the readers who responded to S. Barnett, who had asked for recipes for Dutch apple cake. Els Tessier's favourite incorporates diced apples in the batter, while Helen Pitura's cake puts sliced apples on top, along with brown sugar and spice. Next week, we'll look at Dianne Bodner's version, which combines a biscuit dough base with apples and sour cream. Pat Trim also offers some sound advice when she suggests checking the classic cookbook Food That Really Schmecks for Edna Staebler's tried-and-true recipe." Alison

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