Sharlotka Apple Cake Food

SHARLOTKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an oversized, deep, glass pie dish and spread apples inside.
• Combine eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment. Mix on the highest setting until eggs are foamy and change in color, 5 to 7 minutes. The goal is to achieve a consistency something close to meringue.
• Turn stand mixer off and switch the attachment to the standard mixing paddle. With the machine on its lowest setting, add flour, sour cream, salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Mix until just incorporated. Batter should be thick, fluffy, and airy. Do not overmix, as it will deflate the batter. Pour batter over apples in the pie dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top turns golden brown and a knife comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool just until it is safe to handle the pan; loosen edges and flip the cake onto a serving platter.

POLISH APPLE CAKE (SZARLOTKA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 29cm baking tray with baking parchment.
• For the filling, zest the lemon half and leave aside for the dough. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, then squeeze over the juice of the lemon to stop the fruit turning brown. Put the apples in a large pan and add the sugar, 200ml water and cinnamon. Cook for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool in the liquid (you'll need this later).
• To make the dough, put the flour and baking powder in a food processor or into a large bowl and pulse or stir to combine. Add the butter and mix again until the mixture is sandy. Add the sugar, egg yolks and egg, yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix into a dough. Tip it out onto a floured surface. Bring it together with your hands and roll it into a ball.
• Split the dough in half, wrap one half in cling film and freeze for 1 hr. Roll out the other dough half so that it is big enough to fill the bottom of the lined tray. With the palm of your hand, push the dough about halfway up the sides of the tray until the whole base is covered. Prick the dough with a fork and bake in the oven for about 15 mins until it is golden and lightly springy to the touch.
• Spoon over the apple filling, with about half the cooking liquid, then set aside.
• Remove the dough from the freezer and coarsely grate, as you would a block of cheese. Sprinkle the grated dough over the apples and bake for 40-45 mins until it is golden and the topping has cooked through. Leave to cool completely, dust with icing sugar, then cut into squares. Whip the cream until thick, stir in the cinnamon and serve alongside the cake.

RUSSIAN APPLE CAKE (SHARLOTKA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 175c and grease a 9x13 baking pan/dish (ceramic) with butter or margarine. Set aside.
• Peel, core and chop the apples. Place in a bowl and stir through brown sugar. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on high for about 2 to 3 minutes, until light yellow, thickened and about tripled in size.
• Lower the speed to low and beat in the vanilla and flour.
• In a small bowl, quickly mix the baking soda and vinegar and add it to the batter. Mix batter gently.
• Arrange the chopped apples on the baking pan. Then pour batter over the apples.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes then cover with foil and bake for another 15-20 mins or until a knife comes out clean.
• Serve warm with some double cream or wait to cool and dust with icing sugar!

SHARLOTKA APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a 9x3 round cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper. Butter or spray both the paper, and the sides of the pan.
• Peel and core the apples. Chop in quarters, then slice into thin, bite size pieces.
• Place the apples into the buttered cake pan.
• Using a mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves (around 5 minutes). Mix in the vanilla.
• Gently add the flour and mix with a spoon until batter is thick and smooth.
• Pour batter over the apples in the cake pan, spreading it evenly. Gently shake the pan to allow the batter to settle.
• Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Check cooking time at 40 minutes with a toothpick to see if cake is ready (Some ovens this is enough cooking time).
• When cake is ready, allow to cool on a baking tray for 10 minutes.
• Using a knife, run along sides of the cake pan. Carefully flip upside down. Peel off the parchment paper, revealing the apple base (now the top of your cake).
• Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar to taste. Serve with thickened cream or vanilla ice cream.

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.).