Jewish Apple Cake

Once you make this American Classic it will soon become a family favorite!

Ingredients
FOR APPLES:
6 med. Fuji/Pink Lady apples (frozen peeled ones work too) peeled, cored & rough-cut .5″-1″
(ie 4.5 – 5 cups of peeled apples)

5 Tabs white sugar
1.5 tsp cinnamon or more
CAKE
2.75 cups plain flour, sifted
1 Tab BP
1 tsp salt
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
.25 cup orange juice
1 Tab orange zest
2.5 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Opt. some nuts
Parchment paper
Bundt pan 12-cup

Preheat oven to 160°C (FF). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.
(a parchment circle with pull tab will make it easier to remove from the pan).

Prepare the Apples
In a large bowl, toss the chopped apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Prepare the Cake Batter
1.  In a large bowl whisk together the flour, BP and salt.
In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, orange juice, zest & vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir to combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.

2.  Add eggs to the mixture one at a time, mixing well each time (batter will start very thick, but will get looser & easier to mix as you continue to add the eggs). Scrape down the sides & bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.

3.  Add a thin layer of cake batter to the bottom of the pan, then add one-quarter of the apples on top of the batter. (It will not cover all of the apples but will spread when baking). Repeat this process two more times with remaining apples & batter, ending with cake batter.

4.  Place cake in preheated oven on the centre rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 1 hour 10-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5.  Allow cake to cool to room temp before serving.* Run a knife along the edges of the cake and the pan to help it release from the pan. Enjoy!

*  Let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then carefully remove it from the pan. Letting it cool too long in the pan will make it difficult to remove

NUTTY FUDGE BROWNIES


Ingredients

  • .5 c (80g) raw macadamia nuts
    ½ cup (60g) walnut pieces
    ½ cup (75g ) raw pistachio nut kernels
  • 1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, cubed or chopped
  • 250g good quality dark cooking chocolate, at least 62% – 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
    3 eggs
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar, packed
  • .125g tsp fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    .75g (115g) plain flour
    .25g (40g) SR
  • (or  try 1.75 cups / 145g Almond meal, passed through a sieve)

    1.  Pre-heat oven to 170ºC FF. Lightly toast all nuts on a baking tray in oven about 8 mins. Cool.
    Lightly oil & line the bottom and sides of a 28 x 18 cm shallow tin with baking parchment, being sure to leave an overhang around each long side.

  • 2.  In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter & chocolate together on low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. (I don’t bother with a double boiler with these brownies; as long as the butter and the chocolate are melting together on a low flame, the chocolate won’t burn, but if you’re wary of burning your chocolate, feel free to use one). Cool 5- 10 mins. Will be granular.
  • 3.  Whisk or use electric beaters for the eggs, sugar & vanilla essence until pale & foamy. Add choc. mixture, beating briefly to combine. Fold in the flour, then the nuts.
  • 4.  Pour into prepared tin, bake for 35 mins, until the top looks light in color, and feels soft to the touch. (Kamran Note: Using a cake tester to judge doneness for these brownies will serve absolutely little to no use; the cake tester will come out wet, even if the brownies are done.)
  • 5.  Allow to cool in the tin. Use paper to lift it out and when completely cool on wire rack, place in freezer for 15 minutes for easy cutting. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
  • Enjoy at room temperature with a glass of milk, or frozen with some ice cream! These brownies will keep in an airtight container in a cool place (fridge preferably) for up to 1 week.