Yield: 6 Servings
Recipe by Lynmar Estate Chef David Frakes
Ingredients
Apple Filling:
25g (1oz/1 2/3 T) Unsalted Butter
6 ea Green Cardamom Pods, lightly crushed
2cm (3/4-in) Cinnamon Stick
4 ea Cloves
1 ea Star Anise
6 ea Fuji Apples, cored and diced into 1cm (1/2-in) chunks
100g (3 ½oz/ ½ C) Caster (Superfine) Sugar
1 T Fennel Seeds, ground to a powder
Crumble Topping:
75g (2 ½ oz/ ½ Cup plus 1T) Plain (All-Purpose) Flour
75g (2 ½ oz/ ¾ C) Ground Almonds
75g (2 ½ oz/6 T) Caster (Superfine) Sugar
½ t Salt
1 t Mixed Spice
75g (2 ½ oz/5 T) Unsalted Butter, cold
1 T Milk
Sponge:
100g (3 ½ oz/7 T) Unsalted Butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
2cm (3/4-in) Cinnamon Stick
4 ea Green Cardamom Pods
1 t Fennel Seeds
4 ea Cloves
100g (3 ½ oz/ ¾ C) Self-raising flour
100g (3 ½ oz/ ½ C) Caster (Superfine Sugar)
1 t Almond Extract
2 Lg Eggs
Instructions
- For the filling, heat a wide, deep pan over a medium heat.
- Melt the butter with the cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise, allow to sizzle for 1 minute before adding the apples, sugar and fennel.
- Stew for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the apples are soft, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- For the crumble, in a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
- Add the chilled butter and rub it in with your hands, so that all the large pieces are incorporated and you’re left with a sandy texture.
- Add the milk and run a fork through briefly, so that you have a range of rubbly textures, some large, some small. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6, and grease a 23cm (9in) loose-based cake tin with some soft butter.
- For the sponge, add the whole spices to a spice grinder and blitz to a fine powder. Add the spices to the flour.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and almond extract until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs and mix well, before adding the flour and spices.
- Fold together util just combined-don’t over-mix as the cake will become tough.
- Tip the batter into the cake tin and smooth level.
- Next, spread the stewed apple over the batter, and finally scatter over the crumble.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, until golden.
- Serve warm with plenty of custard.
Garnish – Apple Cider Donut Snap Cookies
1 C Apple Cider (Simmer about 20-30 mins…Reduce to ¼ C syrup)
Dough:
½ C Unsalted Butter, softened
½ C Light Brown Sugar, packed
¼ C Granulated Sugar
1 Lg Egg
½ t Vanilla Extract
¼ C Cooled Apple Cider (Start with 1 Cup, simmer for 20-30 minutes)
2 C All-Purpose Flour
1 t Ground Cinnamon
¼ t Ground Allspice or Cloves
½ t Baking Powder
½ t Baking Soda
¼ t Salt
Cinnamon Sugar
½ C Granulated Sugar
1 t Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix wet ingredients: Cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and cooled apple cider reduction.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
- Combine: Slowly blend the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes if it feels too soft.
- Roll and Coat: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake: Place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9-11 minutes until the edges are set.