Apfelkuchen, or apple cake, is a classic German sweet of which there are numerous versions. We were particularly fond of Luisa Weiss’s recipe in Classic German Baking, which is her adaptation of a recipe she found on a package of almond paste. Almond paste gives the cake’s crumb a custardy richness, a moist, tender texture, and a pleasant — but not overpowering — almond fragrance and flavor. Marzipan, which is sweeter than almond paste, should not be substituted. Also, make sure the almond paste is fresh and pliable, not dried out and hard, or it won’t break down properly during mixing.
Tangy-sweet sliced apples are fanned on top of the batter and baked into the surface to elegant effect. You will need an apple corer to punch out the cores from the apples before halving them. If you don’t own one, halve the apples, then notch out the cores with a paring knife.
The apples can be peeled, cored, and halved before you make the cake batter, but don’t slice the apple halves until the batter is in the pan. If sliced sooner, the apples may discolor.
This recipe was developed with a conventional (that is, not nonstick) springform pan. If yours is nonstick or otherwise has a dark finish, to prevent overbaking, heat the oven to 350 degrees and begin checking for doneness on the low end of the time range.
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (214 grams) white sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
4 ounces almond paste, broken into rough ½-inch pieces
¼ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, cool room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 small Granny Smith apples (about 12 ounces total), peeled, cored, and halved lengthwise
Powdered sugar, to serve
Heat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, then dust with flour; tap out the excess. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the 1 cup sugar, almond paste, and salt on low speed until the paste has broken into crumbly bits, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Reduce to medium, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition.
Scrape down the bowl, then add the vanilla and continue mixing on medium speed until well-combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce to low, add the flour mixture, and mix just until the batter is evenly moistened, about 10 seconds; it will be thick. Using the spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and give the batter a few folds to ensure that no pockets of butter or flour remain. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer, smoothing the surface.
Slice each apple half into ¼-inch-thick half circles; do not separate the slices. With your hand, gently press down on each half to fan the slices. Divide the fanned apples into 8 equal portions without undoing the fanned effect. Slide a thin spatula or butter knife under the apples, then slide the slices off the spatula near the outer edge of the cake with the slices fanning outward from the center. One at a time, position another 6 sets of slices on the cake, creating an evenly spaced spoke pattern. Place the last set of apple slices in the center. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over the top.
Bake until the edges of the cake are deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a paring knife around the inside of the pan to loosen, then remove the pan sides. Serve warm or at room temperature; dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Pumpkin Tart
Makes 8 servings
Canned pumpkin puree is a great place to start, but we intensify the flavor by giving it a quick sauté with dark brown sugar. This simmers off excess moisture and adds caramel flavors. Deglazing the pan with bourbon adds a complexity we love, but an equal amount of orange juice works well, too. Crème fraîche gives the filling tang and richness that other dairy products can’t match.
Look for unsweetened canned pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling, for this recipe; the only ingredient listed should be pumpkin.
1 single-crust pie dough (recipe follows)
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
¾ cup (149 grams packed) dark brown sugar
¼ cup bourbon
1 8-ounce container (1 cup) crème fraîche
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Heat the oven to 375 degrees with racks in the middle and lowest positions. On a well-floured counter, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Wrap the dough loosely around the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Ease the dough into the pan, then trim the edges flush with the rim. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Line the chilled tart shell with heavy-duty foil and fill with enough pie weights to come three-quarters up, then place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the oven’s lowest rack until the edges are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the foil and weights, then bake until the bottom just begins to color, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
While the crust bakes, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, combine the pumpkin and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thickened, dark, and leaves a film on the pan, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (the yield should be 1½ cups).
Add the bourbon to the skillet, return to medium-high heat, and stir, scraping up any browned bits; add to the pumpkin mixture.
In a food processor, combine the pumpkin mixture and crème fraiche; process until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs and salt, then process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the filling into the warm crust, smoothing the top. Bake on the baking sheet on the middle rack until the edges start to puff and crack and the center sets, 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Remove the outer metal ring to serve warm or at room temperature.
Single-Crust Pie Dough
Makes one 9-inch pie shell
To ensure a tender, no-fail prebaked crust, we add moisture to our pastry by borrowing a technique known as tangzhong: A small portion of flour is mixed with boiling water to make a paste that is then mixed into the dough, adding moisture. We also add sour cream, which results in a softer dough that rolls out easily and resists slumping in the pan during prebaking.
Don’t skimp on the pie weights — use enough to come three-quarters of the way up the sides.
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons sour cream
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Microwave until set, 30 to 40 seconds, stirring halfway through. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Once the cornstarch mixture has chilled, in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and process until mixed, about 5 seconds. Add the chilled cornstarch mixture and pulse until uniformly ground, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and sour cream and process until the dough comes together and begins to collect around the blade, 20 to 30 seconds. Pat the dough into a 4-inch disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the middle position. On a well-floured counter, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Hang the dough over the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Gently ease the dough into the pan by lifting the edges while pressing down into the corners of the pan. Trim the edges, leaving a ½-inch overhang, then tuck the overhang under itself so the dough is flush with the rim of the pan. Crimp the dough with your fingers or the tines of a fork, then chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
To blind bake, line the chilled crust with heavy-duty foil and fill with enough pie weights to come three-quarters of the way up. Bake until the edges are light golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the bottom of the crust just begins to color, another 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before filling. Once baked and cooled, the crust can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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