This traditional Dutch and Belgian apple cake is the perfect way to use up a glut of cooking apples
Ingredients
• 300 grams of plain flour
• 200 grams of unsalted butter
• 175 grams of icing sugar
• 1 kg of apples
• 100 grams of raisins (optional)
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Method
1. Sift icing sugar and mix with the flour. Add a pinch of salt.
2. Add the butter in chunks to the flour mixture (tip: use two knives to cut the chunks smaller and smaller). Mix it until you have a crumbly mixture
3. Once it starts to come together, add half the beaten egg and mix it in
4. When the mixture becomes a ball, place it in the fridge in an airtight container
5. Peel, core and slice the apples.You can use slices or chunks, either are fine. Add the ground cinnamon. If using cooking apples, you may want to add a tablespoon of sugar too
6. Take half the pastry out of the fridge and roll it out on a baking mat. Turn the mat upside down and let the pastry slip into the tin. Cut off the overhanging bits. If using a spring-form tin, cut out a circle for the bottom first, then two strips for the sides
7. Prick the pastry with a fork and scatter over the breadcrumbs
8. Place the apple chunks with the cinnamon on the pastry
9. Take the rest of the pastry out of the fridge and roll out to cut strips. Create a pattern on the tart with the strips of pastry
11. Brush the rest of the beaten egg over the top of the cake
12. Place the cake in the oven at 180ºC for 60 minutes. Cover the cake with foil from 30 minutes onwards.
This traditional Dutch and Belgian apple cake is the perfect way to use up a glut of cooking apples. Traditionally raisins are added, but you might prefer it without them. It’s lovely warm, with cream or ice cream, but just as nice when it’s been in the fridge.
