Recipe from when I felt like Tarte Normande but didn’t want to make pastry crust. There are two optional toppings at the bottom, Vanilla Custard Sauce and Salted Caramel.
This is an easy recipe – it can be made with mostly ingredients from your pantry, doesn’t need anything more complicated than a few bowls, a whisk, and a pie plate, and is endlessly adaptable. I have tried it with pears and whiskey, tart apples and rum, and peaches and madeira – all have turned out wonderfully. This summer I am looking forward to trying it with fresh plums, sour cherries, and whatever else looks good at the farm markets.
Note: I will be making this recipe on 5/4/2021 at 4 pm EST at Twitch.tv/Nascmile if you want to bake along, or you can check the VOD for step-by-step instructions!
Ingredients:
1 stick/115 grams butter
150 g. flour
8 g. baking powder
2 g. salt
100 g. brown sugar
2 eggs
60 g. bourbon
2 – 3 apples, cubed or sliced, skin on
Sugar to sprinkle on top (white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey drizzle…)
Preheat Oven to 350 F/175 C. In whatever you are going to make the cake in (pie pan, round cake pan, springform, square glass, whatever you have), put:
- 1 stick of butter
and place it in the oven while it is preheating to melt.
Whisk together dry:
- 150 g. flour
- 8 g. powder
- 2 g. salt
In separate bowl, add:
- 100 g. brown sugar
Pour in melted butter (be careful, it will be hot!), not worrying to scrape out the pan. Whisk butter and sugar until smooth, then add in:
- 2 eggs
- 60 g. bourbon
And whisk again until smooth and glossy. Gently whisk in dry ingredients, then fold in apples until mixed through. Using a pastry brush or piece of crumpled parchment or wax paper, spread melted butter around pan, then scrape in batter and smooth lightly. Sprinkle generously with sugar of choice, then bake for ~30 minutes until lightly golden and a tester comes out clean. Let rest for five minutes, then cut and serve.
Vanilla Custard Sauce
- 120 ml. heavy cream
- 75 ml. whole milk
- 30 g. sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- pinch nutmeg, cinnamon, or other sweet spice (if wanted)
Warm milk and cream in heavy-bottomed saucepan. In bowl, whisk egg whites and sugar until sunshine yellow. When creams barely simmer, start tempering into the egg mixture. Strain back into pot, add vanilla and salt, then cook over low heat stirring constantly until thickened. Take off the heat, strain again, stir in spices (if using) and place in clean jar or serving vessel.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 100 g. sugar
- 45 g./3 T. butter
- 60 ml. heavy cream
- 4 g. salt
- 1 t. vanilla extract
In metal deep saucepan, dry melt sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until completely smooth and starting to caramelize. Add in butter (will bubble!), then stir until completely incorporated. Let cook undisturbed for one minute, then slowly stir in heavy cream (will bubble again!!). Once settled and smooth, let cook undisturbed for another 30-90 seconds until desired caramelization (or just under, as will keep cooking while hot). Remove from heat, stir in salt and vanilla, then let cool as is or transfer to ice bath or clean container to cool quicker. Will thicken as it cools.
Here's the Damn Recipe 