Tag: italian cake

Tuesday Treat

Menu MistressLeave a comment

Italian Apple Tart

This recipe for apple tart doesn’t use pastry which makes it one of the lightest apple tarts you’re likely to taste. This decidedly fruity tart is from the cookbook ‘Brutto’. It’s delicious for breakfast, tea and/ or dinner… it’s wonderful!

4 apples, any sweet, crisp variety

2 large eggs

200g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

70g plain flour (gluten-free if required)

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

A pinch of salt

65ml milk

100g butter, very soft, plus a small knob for lining

1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting

  1. Butter a 20cm cake tin and line with greaseproof paper. Peel and core the apples, halve and slice thinly.
  2. Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl and whisk until doubled in size. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and combine together. While still whisking, pour in the milk and add the softened butter until smooth and consistent.
  3. Put the sliced apples into the mix and carefully coat them all over. Layer the apples flat in circles, starting from the edge and working inwards. Pour a thin layer of the remaining mixture on top.
  4. Place in a preheated oven, 200’c fan and cook for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 180’c for 40 minutes. Remove the golden brown tart and allow to cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar.
  5. Serve at room temperature in slices, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of cream, but to be honest is delicious simply on its own!

Tuesday Treat

Menu MistressLeave a comment

‘La Torta della Anna’ Lemon & White Chocolate Cake

This is one of those special recipes that you don’t often come across…

When visiting Lecce with my Italian Class I had the pleasure of eating at ’63 Osteria Contemporanea’. The wonderful chef Anna originates from Puglia and serves her traditional family recipes with a contemporary edge. She served us some wonderful dishes including this beautifully light ‘Lemon and White Chocolate Cake’, not only was it absolutely delicious but it also happened to be gluten-free. I was completely smitten and begged her for the recipe! I couldn’t wait to return to my kitchen in the UK to try it – it’s fast become a family favourite. Thank you Anna for generously sharing this fantastic recipe!..

*There’s a lot of white chocolate to grate in this recipe so I find that it’s best to grind it in a processor!

200g ground almonds

180g white chocolate, grated (*see note above)

50g potato starch (‘ficole di patate’)

5g baking powder

Grated peel of 3 lemons

125g butter, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence

5 eggs, separated

180g caster sugar (separated 90/90g)

To serve, Icing sugar and extra grated lemon zest

*You will need a 23cm round cake tin, greased with butter, base lined with greaseproof paper.

  1. In a bowl mix together the ground almonds, grated white chocolate, potato starch, baking powder and grated lemon peel. Then mix in the melted butter and vanilla essence stirring well.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks with 90g of the sugar, until thick, pale and creamy. Then fold into the ground almond mixture.
  3. In another bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks then gradually whisk in the remaining 90g of sugar to form glossy stiff peaks.
  4. Finally, gently fold in the whisked egg whites to the cake mixture.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and place in the preheated oven, 180’c fan. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
  6. To serve, sprinkle over with icing sugar and extra grated lemon peel.