Adapted from a recipe by Emeril:
BatterI came into some apples recently. Unfortunately, they're red delicious apples, which don't hold their shape when baked. Since I'm not all that fond of eating apples straight (especially red delicious), that meant something with chopped or pureed apples.
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
Topping
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ stick unsalted butter, softened
Glaze
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. water
I stumbled upon Emeril's recipe and am very, very glad I tried it.
Start by placing a stick of butter in a large bowl and half a stick in a medium bowl.
While those are softening, whisk together the self-rising flour and 1 tsp. cinnamon in an even larger bowl.
Once the butter is soft, cream together with the brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating thoroughly. After one egg, the batter will look deliciously peanut-buttery. After the second, it will look runny.
Make a well in the flour and add what you just mixed to the flour. Add the sour cream and vanilla, stirring together. Fold in the chopped apples. The finished batter will be extremely thick (perfect for that crumb texture). Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9 baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan.
Prepare the crumb topping by mixing together all four ingredients until the result resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle uniformly over the surface of the batter.
Place in the oven. Bake approximately 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the three glaze ingredients. It's okay if the sugar doesn't dissolve fully.
After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the top and let harden slightly.
I cannot say enough about the results. The texture is divine, and the apples give it a light fruity taste. I love the taste of brown sugar, too, so truckloads of the stuff can't hurt.
The cleanup's a bitch,
but well worth it. As I said before, this is the best coffee cake I've ever had.
I still have four more apples to use up. I'm thinking about making apple dumplings. Any other ideas for good apple dishes that could stand some red deliciousness?
Posts
make applesauce!
ReplyDeletemmm... coffee cake. It looks and sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAs for those other apples, Rachael Ray swears by an apple, red onion, and something else base for pork chops. I made it with chicken once and it is quite good. I'd peel the apples first though.
I hope you got some product placement dollars from Boston Beer Co. for the Sam Adams bottles in the pictures. Summer Ale, Irish Red, and Boston Lager, nice and lined up like a photo shoot.
ReplyDeleteAdam: that would require me to actually have an *audience* for the ole blog.
ReplyDeleteYes... definitely make applesauce! I saw on Twitter that you want to know how to do it - it's really easy (as long as you like creamy applesauce). Just boil a potful of peeled apples on low in an inch of apple juice or cider - it'll take about twenty minutes. When they start to get pretty mushy, take the apple mush (sorry, can't think of a better way to describe it) and let it cool. When it's cool, blend it in the blender until it's creamy and put it in the fridge. It's delicious when it's creamy and smooth.
ReplyDeleteRachel: thanks for the instructions! Now I have no excuse to not make it, really.
ReplyDeleteYum! This does look delicious! I love apples and they are even better in cake! Thank you so much for all the kind comments you left on my blog! :)
ReplyDelete