A delicious Apple Cake, with a Breton Shortcrust. Despite its simplicity, this has become of of my favorite cakes that brings a smile and happiness
About this recipe
Here's an apple cake that has become one of my favorites. If you look at the ingredients, its simplicity will shock you, and yet, its flavor and texture amaze me every single time
In a nutshell, the cake is made of two rolled shortcrusts called "Breton", a delicious shortcrust originating from Brittany, northwestern France. Inside the cake, diced apples cook in an "almond cream", a delicious custard, and will keep their moisture while baking
So simple and yet so delicious, I can't tell you anything but to try this cake. Easy to make, and so easy to eat !!
I think what I like the most, is the texture of the "Breton" shortcrust, its slightly salty kick, and the moist apples cooked in the almond custard
A cake that I find the best eaten at room temperature, with a coffee or a tea.
Modifications to the original recipe
I modified only a few things...
● I precook the Apples (¼ lbs or 125 g) to develop their flavors, with the Vanilla Extract (2 tablespoons), the Light Brown Sugar (1 Tablespoon or 15 g) and the Butter (2 Tablespoons or 30 g)
● Instead of baking at 305 °F / 150 °C, I recommend baking at 360 °F / 180 °C
The Brittany Shortcrust
1. Let's start with the shortcrust : In a bowl goes the Butter (¾ Cup or 187 g), the Sugar (¾ Cup or 175 g) and the Salt (1 teaspoon or 5 g)
2. For the next steps: You may mix manually with a wooden spatula or with a stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid appliance), with the 'paddle'
3. Mix those ingredients (into a 'sand' texture)
KitchenAid 7-Quart Stand Mixer
Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer
4. Stop and put the shortcrust together with a bowl scraper
5. Add the Egg Yolks (⅓ Cup or 75 g) and keep mixing
6. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a bowl scraper then mix again
7. Over the mixing bowl, sift the Flour (1 ¾ Cup or 250 g) and the Baking Powder (2 teaspoons or 8.5 g)
8. Mix for a very short time (otherwise the shortcrust will become too hard, as we want a crumbly soft texture)
Sifter for Baking
Flour Sifter
Large Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer
9. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl
10. Transfer the dough onto the work surface
11. Stretch the dough a couple times (we call this 'fraser' in French)
12. Wrap airtight
13. Store in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This is recommended to 'stabilize' the dough, and it will bake better
The Almond Cream
14. For the almond cream, start by softening the Butter (2 Tablespoons or 28 g) at room temperature
15. In a bowl, mix the Butter (2 Tablespoons or 28 g) and the Icing Sugar (2 Tablespoons or 28 g)
16. Add in the Almond Flour (⅓ Cup or 28 g), the Egg (1 Tablespoon or 33 g), the Corn Starch (2 teaspoons or 6 g) and mix
17. Pour in the Spiced Rum (½ teaspoon or 3 g), the Cream (2 Tablespoons or 25 g) and give it a mix
18. Keep in the fridge
Large Mixing Bowls, Stainless Steel
DeBuyer Whisk
KitchenAid Whisk
Apples
19. Peel and core the Apples (¼ lbs or 125 g). Please note that the mentioned weight (¼ lbs or 125 g) is that of the final diced apples
20. To core, I am using a melon baller, very practical !
21. Dice the cored apples in big chunks, about 1.18" (or 1 3/16" or 3 cm) wide
Good Grips Y Peeler
Good Grips Swivel Peeler
Double-Sided Melon Baller
22. In a frying pan, melt the Butter (2 Tablespoons or 30 g) and cook the apple chunks
23. Sprinkle the Light Brown Sugar (1 Tablespoon or 15 g) and cook until slightly goden
24. Add in the Vanilla Extract (2 tablespoons), cook and transfer to a bowl
25. Let them cook down at room temperature
Assembling
26. Take the shortcrust dough out of the fridge and divide in 2 equal parts
27. Roll out each dough with a rolling pin, 0.23" (or 15/64" or 0.6 cm) thick
Wooden Rolling Pin
Rolling Pin with Removable Rings
28. Slightly mark a 7.08" (or 7 3/32" or 18 cm) in diameter circle (using a plate or a pastry ring)
29. Do not cut through !
Deep 7-inch Pastry Ring, Heavy Gauge
Deep 8-inch Pastry Ring, Heavy Gauge
9 inch Pastry Ring
Adjustable Cake Mold 6 to 12 inch
30. This circle mark will help us to fill the cake
31. For the next steps, I am using a pastry ring, as used by professionals, but you may use a traditional cake pan
32. Butter the ring
33. Place the cooled down apple chunks inside the circle, leaving 0.78" (or 25/32" or 2 cm) space from the edge
34. Pour the almond cream
35. Lay over the second shortcrust dough
36. Press around the circle, to make sure both doughs will "stick"
37. Press down the ring
38. Remove the excess dough from the
39. Do not waste those trimmings ! You can roll them out, cut them (with a knife of a cookie cutter) and bake them for delicious little cookies that will make someone happy
40. Eggwash : beat one egg and eggwash the cake top with a brush
41. People from Brittany like to indent their cakes with long parallel lines, using a fork, which you may skip
Pastry Brush
Silicone Brush, Heat Resistant for Pastry and Barbecue
42. For garnish, thinly slice the Apple (1)
43. You may slice with a knife, or, as I used, a mandoline
44. Lay those slices in circle at the center of the cake
45. Some recommend to create a small hole, but I do not recommend it (to keep the moisture inside the cake)
Baking
46. 
Bake in preheated oven at 360 °F / 180 °C
47. For the first 10 minutes, I lay a heavy tray on top of the ring, to avoid it from "lifting"
48. After 10 minutes baking, you take the pan off
49. Bake for about 30 minutes (depending on your oven), until slightly light golden
50. After baking, you may gently press on "bumps", if any
Perforated Baking Pan
Heat Resistant Gloves
Silicone Baking Mat
51. Take the ring or the mold out and allow to cool down at room temperature, ideally on a rack
52. Once the cake is at room temperature, you may decorate by placing a small plate and sprinkling Snow Sugar
There you go! At this time, your house will smell incredibly delicious, and it's a real kind of torture to wait until it has cooled down
I like this Brittany cake still a bit warm, or at room temperature
You may it after it has cooled down
However, if you need to store this cake, you will need to wrap it up and keep it in the fridge
However, I recommend to not eat it straight out of the fridge, as it is too cold, its texture will be a bit too hard to appreciate
After taking this cake out of the fridge, let warm up at room temperature 30 minutes before eating it