There's a good chance, if you will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house, that you are struggling with menus right about now. Allow me to make a suggestion, or two. In an effort to be a helpful, seasonally-appropriate blogger, over the next several days I will share some wonderful Thanksgiving-appropriate recipes.
First up is an apple dessert that I tried for the first time just last week. Not only did the members of my book group love it, the general consensus was that this would be a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table, better even than apple pie!
n.o.e.'s notes:
- This wonderful apple dish is from Orangette; you can find the recipe is here. The directions are precise and quite easy to follow. There are some additional helpful notes in this blog post.
- This tart/cake consists of a crust/cake layer that is quickly made in the food processor, layered with apple slices and baked. Then a [edited to add: very thin layer of] custard-y topping is added and the pan is returned to the oven until the custard is set.
- One thing that makes this an easy apple dessert is that it only calls for 2 apples (rather than the 6 cups of peeled and chopped apples that are required by most apple pies.
- I cut the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup, and use even less next time - unless I were to use very tart apples.
- I added 1/2 tsp of almond extract to the custard layer.
- Whipped cream would make a nice companion to this cake/dessert.
the verdict:
This is a perfect apple dessert for serving to guests. Not only is it pretty as can be, it has great structure and wonderful flavor. True to its name, it is a cross between a tart and a cake. The crust becomes nicely browned at the tart/cake cooks, and the apples and custard are beautifully tender.
You can make it ahead; in fact, it is better made a day or two in advance. I would probably use a tarter variety of apple next time, but, honestly, my tasters were not complaining!
9 comments:
That looks yummy. I'm not a big custard fan, but I might still give it a try. Can't have too many apple recipes. =)
Love apple cakes/pies. And this one looks/sounds delicious. And he addition of custard makes it even better.
I love that tart/cake! I made it for Thanksgiving last year and it was a huge hit.
I can almost smell how delicious it is! What a fabulous picture...can't wait to try it!
This would definietly be welcome here at the MTBT household this time of the year.
Yes, I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. I'm thinking about adding an apple dessert, but I struggle with pies. Actually, it's just the crust I fight with. So this cake/pie would solve all of my problems!
Looks great...very rustic and just right for Thanksgiving. Hands down, would be a better choice for me than the pumpkin pie for sure!
Looks great! I was thinking of Dorie's apple cake for Thanksgiving, but I may have to test this one out to compare.
Can't wait to see your next post (nudge, nudge).
That looks great Nancy! Definitely a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving feast. And not having to make pie crust or peel and chop tons of apples is always a plus.
By the way, the apple cake I made on your recommendation got such rave reviews. My mom didn't seem terribly excited when she picked it up but she couldn't stop talking about how much she loved it when I saw her again :)
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