Christmas

Apple and hazelnut sponge

November 11, 2010
4
3 Ratings
  • Makes 6 'dariole moulds' or 26cm diameter tart tin
Author Notes

This recipe was the result of being lured by fresh hazelnuts at Sligro, a shop where I’ve also discovered finger limes and other foodie delights. I decided to combine the nuts and apples in an autumn cake. I love this cake, baking them in dariole moulds yields quite sophisticated looking bakes, which have an outer crust, perfect for crust lovers and is full of inner melting moments. Perfect when all the leaves around you are golden and maple and winter’s frost…bites. Definitely to be served with fresh vanilla custard! —Kitchen Butterfly

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet, firm cooking apple (I used an Elstar)
  • 1/3 cup fresh(cloudy) apple juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons of Calvados
  • 3 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 1/3 cup hazelnuts, crushed but not overly fine
  • 100g plain flour, sifted
  • 90g white caster sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 tablespoons hazelnut meal (or almond meal)
  • 75ml vanilla yogurt
  • 60ml vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teapoon vanilla extract
  • Fresh vanilla custard, to serve
Directions
  1. First make stewed apples: This part of the recipe can be made up to 2 days ahead. Place apple juice and sugar and boil on high for 3-4 of minutes till reduced a touch, then add apples and simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes, till soft but still holding shape. Remove from heat and stir in Calvados, to taste or other liqueur. Set aside.
  2. Butter 6 dariole moulds or a 26cm diameter tart tin and then sprinkle crushed hazelnuts inside till a coating is formed on the base and sides of the containers.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180 deg c.
  4. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder, pinch of salt and nut meal, whisking together to combine.
  5. Whisk the wet ingredients to combine in another bowl: The yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Then make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour this wet mix into the well and gently stir to combine with a spatula, ensuring you mix the ingredients at the base, till well combined.
  6. The next step is layering the apples, cake mix and nuts. Begin with a tablespoon of cake batter, followed by a sprinkling of crushed hazelnuts and topped by a teaspoon of stewed apple . Repeat again, finishing with some apple chunks. Then sprinkle some hazelnuts over the top. The mould should be just over halfway if using darioles. Repeat for all the other moulds.If using a tart tin, put all the batter in the pan and sprinkle crushed hazelnuts over the top, followed by the apples.
  7. Place cake moulds on baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 – 35 minutes till the top is browned and a skewer or cake tester comes out clean.
  8. Serve with warm vanilla custard and some warm apple cider to go.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Kitchen Butterfly
    Kitchen Butterfly
  • monkeymom
    monkeymom
I love food and I'm interested in making space for little-heard voices, as well as celebrating Nigerian cuisine in its entirety.

2 Reviews

Kitchen B. November 13, 2010
Thanks Monkeymom
 
monkeymom November 12, 2010
your photos are amazing KB.