Another lover of the Honeyed Apple Torte

[rinsav]

I made this to take to a Rosh Hashana dinner and it was a big hit!!!!! It was the only dessert to entirely disappear. Everyone was raving about it and asking how I made it. It looked really good and tasted even better! I highly recommend this recipe!

[KValley]

rinsav-

I need a dessert idea for tonight - an impromptu going-away party potluck- where could I find this recipe (which CL issue)? How would you rate this on difficulty and prep time? I want something relatively simple...

THanks! Julie

[rinsav]

Julie,

I got the recipe off the BB. I read a bunch of excellent reviews and decided to try it for myself. Here's the recipe. It's a little time consuming cause you have to let the apples simmer on the stove for a short time but it's not bad. You can start making the other part of the cake while they're cooking. It's definitely easy and looks very nice. The taste is really great....it's a fantastic combination of sweet and tart and very moist and yummy. Let me know what you think if you make it. I wish I had some left-overs. My mouth is watering!:)

Honeyed Apple Torte

Recipe By :Cooking Light Magazine. September 1999. Page: 110.
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and each cut
into 8 wedges (about 1-1/4 pounds)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine honey and lemon juice in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add apples; cook 14 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Beat 3/4 cup granulated sugar, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon rind. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

4. Remove apples from skillet with a slotted spoon; discard remaining liquid. Arrange apple slices spokelike on top of batter, pressing slices gently into batter. Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into wedges using a serrated knife. Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 179 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 37mg Cholesterol; 116mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : As this buttery cake bakes, the apples sink into it as though they have been swallowed. Choose medium-size apples for the best presentation. Rome, Winesap, and Newton Pippin will work, too.

[Jewel]

Julie, it's also in CL Complete...I made that cake a year ago when it first came in a CL issue. It was the first and only dessert (up until then) that I'd made that came out EXACTLY like the photo, and it was a huge hit. The next month, in the letters column, a reader wrote that it was a tasty cake, but looked NOTHING like the photo, and that she thought CL was misleading readers that it even COULD come out like the photo. Huh? Mine was perfect! Each time I've made it, it comes out looking like it just emerged from a bakery shelf...from little 'ol non-baking me?? Shucks!! :D

[rinsav]

I'm with you, Jewel. Mine came out looking very pretty too and I was pleasantly surprised cause I'm certainly not the best baker in the world. I cooked mine for less than an hour though. Who knows if my oven is off or what. Anyway, it came out looking great and, wow, was it a hit! Made me feel good with all the compliments!

[KValley]

Thanks, you two! I was trying to decide between this and the Chocolate Eclair Icebox that everyone raves about, but I've got all of the ingredients for the torte, so I think this is it! A little vanilla frozen yogurt on the side, YUM!

[rinsav]

Julie, I'm excited you're going to try this! Definitely let us know how it goes. Vanilla frozen yogurt on the side sounds yummy!

[Jewel]

Originally posted by KValley
Thanks, you two! I was trying to decide between this and the Chocolate Eclair Icebox that everyone raves about, but I've got all of the ingredients for the torte, so I think this is it! A little vanilla frozen yogurt on the side, YUM!

Julie, you'll LOVE it, but one hint...in the original issue CL mentions that the cake kind of 'swallows up' the apples as it bakes. That's very true, but you DO have to poke them down into the cake batter. Don't just sit them on top. Use a finger to press those apple 'spokes' at least halfway into the cake batter to start that 'swallowing' process! Otherwise (and this happened to me once) the cake doesn't swallow, and your apples end up only on top, which doesn't make for as pretty or as tasty a cake. I used GrannySmith apples, and they held their shape wonderfully, and made the cake extremely moist! I served it on Easter Sunday when we had guests, with lowfat Vanilla ice cream on the side, and it was a huge hit! Good luck! :D

[mb]

just a warning: i have also made this cake several times and it always comes out looking like the picture... i also made it on rosh hashana, and somehow, the apples got completely swallowed up by the cake! it didn't look like the picture at all! :eek: i can't figure out why that happened... actually, i think the apple wedges migrated all the way down to the bottom of the cake... however, it was still delicious. it just didn't look as nice :(

[KValley]

Okay, you all were right- this was just lovely. I pushed my apples in and they were basically swallowed up by the batter, but ended just underneath- not at the bottom, fortunately. I only wish I would have taken it out of the oven about 5 minutes earlier (as it was, I took it out at 45 minutes!)- it was a little overcooked on top. I think next time, since my oven bakes pretty hot, I will cut the temp by 25 degrees. BTW, my batter did not "pour" into the pan- it was pretty thick- I had to spoon it out.

But so delicious- rich and caramel-ly- not really a honey taste. Rave reviews. I served it with Dreyers Caramel-Praline frozen yogurt. 2 gallons for 1 at Safeway.

I'm so glad I discovered this- thanks to you!!

[Jewel]

Woohoo Julie!! Glad you liked the cake! Honestly, I like the crunchy top, I think it adds to the texture and helps keep the ice cream from making it too mushy too quick! :D

You've just discovered a GREAT potluck dessert...you will get raves anywhere you take it! And isn't that part of the reason we cook so much anyway....? ;)

[rinsav]

I'm so glad you liked it, Julie! I'm with you, Jewel, I like it a little bit crunchy/chewy on top but not too much. I had to take it out a little bit early too.

I plan to make this many more times in the future. I love getting rave reviews! Definitely makes you feel good, huh?! Plus, I love it myself!:)

(I'll have to try it with ice cream on top next time. Yum!)

[kima]

Would you believe I finally made this winner!
What a great cake. Probably the best Apple Cake I have ever made.
I appreciated the advice about poking the apples down......:)

If you are new and missed this recipe the first time around I highly recommend it.

[yorkshirepud]

I've been wanting to make this too. Some day I hope. My dessert menu is booked up for the next 2 weeks :D but I'll aim for the weekend after.

I'd have to make ice-cream to go with this too of course!

[bluestocking]

Is there a chance someone can upload the photo? It seems like the looks of the dish are inspiring people- I'd love to see it!

[lonetree1353]

found this picture on the internet. I haven't made the cake but this recipe was the same as the one posted here.


http://www.hurva.org/Docs/DMs/recipes/food_pics/honeyed_apple_torte_pic.jpg