I knew my mother was setting the bar high when she said someone proposed to her over this cake.
It was something of a joke, tossed out as “I will marry whoever made this cake”. Regardless, it should be taken as a sign that 1) my mom is amazing baker and 2) this is a damn good cake. So while no proposals emerged from my production of this cake, it still received lots of high marks from my friends for being moist and yet crunchy on top.
My desire to make this cake stemmed from a recent trip to Val di Non, a valley known for apples, where I purchased 3 kilos of apples for just 3 euros. The stop for apples was just one in a fairly eventful trip which included an apple cider factory, a canyon and a five church sanctuary with a bear. While each stop was unique, my favorite was the impromptu tour of the cider or sidro factory.
After weeks of trying to call La Sidreria restaurant, which seemed to be the only place to find hard apple cider in Val di Non, we finally decided just to drive there. Upon arrival, we were disappointed (perhaps an understatement) to discover that it was closed. At that point I was ready to turn around and leave but Giacomo, in search of the long awaited cider, was more persistent. Finding a worker among crates of apples behind the restaurant/factory, the man quickly procured his boss and soon one of the owners popped his head out the front door.
Crowding around him, hoping he would let us take a look around the shop, he mercifully allowed our small group to pass. Speaking to Giacomo (the only Italian among us, though Melissa, Peçanha and I can all speak Italian to some degree), he began going around the shop telling us we should try this cider and that one, stacking them on the counter. As we introduced ourselves to him, he seemed very excited that young people, like him, would be interested in his craft. Soon we found ourselves being led on a tour of the factory, seeing the press, bottling chamber for apple cider vinegar, labeling machine and beer and cider tanks. In sum, it was a wonderful surprise which resulted in us driving away with 7 bottles of delicious apple cider which the owner gifted us. Not bad for a place supposed to be closed that day.
Later, as we were sitting around eating the cake and drinking cider, I noticed that the sidro bottle had a gold metal cage over the cork to keep it down, like champagne bottles. Remembering my Uncle Joe and what he used to do with these, I crafted a little chair out of the metal and set it on top.
Apple Cake (lightly adapted from Food & Wine)
Ingredients for Crumb Topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt
1 stick (4 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Directions for Crumb Topping:
1) Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan.
2) In a food processor*, pulse the flour with the brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles moist sand. Add the walnuts and pulse 3 times. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and press into large crumbs.
*If your food processor isn't large enough or you don't have one, you can also do this in a bowl with a pastry cutter or fork. If you're doing this, be sure to chop the walnuts a bit more finely first.
Ingredients for Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 pounds Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
Sweetened sour cream, for serving (I skipped this because I can't find sour cream here!)
Directions for Batter:
3) In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, ginger and salt.
4) In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the honey. Add the lemon zest, vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the half-and-half and beat at low speed until smooth. Fold in the apples.
5) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the crumb topping.
6) Bake the buckle in the center of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 1 hour before unhinging the springform and removing the ring. Cut the cake into wedges and serve with sweetened sour cream.
