James Martin Dorset Apple Cake Food

DORSET APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
• Mix the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your fingers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the light brown sugar. Beat in the egg followed by 6-8 tbsp of milk - add it gradually until you have a smooth, thick batter.
• Add the apples and sultanas and mix to combine. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and gently level out. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar, if using, and bake for 30-40 mins or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 15 mins and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool further. Best served still warm with a little custard.

DORSET APPLE TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a rectangular baking tin (approx 27 x 20cm) with baking parchment. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, then squeeze over the lemon juice. Set aside.
• Put the butter, caster sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and mix well until smooth. Spread half the mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange half the apples over the top of the mixture, then repeat the layers. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
• Bake for 45-50 mins until golden and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then turn out of the tin and remove the paper. Cut into bars or squares.

JAMES MARTIN'S RUSSIAN SHARLOTKA (APPLE SPONGE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Place the caster sugar, flour and eggs into a bowl and whisk together to make a thick smooth batter.
• Grease and flour a deep baking dish and arrange all the apple slices to cover the bottom of the dish.
• Spoon the batter mixture over the top and transfer to the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. (To check if the sponge is ready, insert a skewer into the top of the sponge, if it comes out sticky, return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.).