You might be asking yourself if I’m having a moment of indecisiveness — I mean, who calls a dessert a cake tart — It’s either a cake or a tart, right? Conventional wisdom suggests very clear definitions of both, and tarts usually involve some kind of crust. But, what if you had a sturdy and delicious batter that could double for both a cake and a tart base?
My almond cake recipe made with almond paste serves that purpose very well. It can be used to bake into cake layers that can be sliced and filled or baked into thinner versions that can be used as a thinner base for tarts. I have also used this in recipes for New York’s famous Rainbow Bars, the famous Bakewell Tart with swirls of raspberry jam, and in a chocolate and mocha cake known as Opera Tort.
My longstanding belief and working philosophy that you only need a few great recipes to make many different items holds true in this wonderful example of versatility.
The start of autumn weather provides us with buckets full of apples for our pleasure, and I must say that I never met an apple that I didn’t like. I prefer mine to be organic, slightly sweet and very crisp. Once they soften, I will slice or dice them up and turn them into a filling for mini fried pies, cobblers or crisps.
Recently, I had to make a quick dessert for visiting friends and wanted to make something elegant. I had a few apples and some fig jam on hand, so I decided to make a cake tart that would be served with my delicious anglais sauce. I have made this many times before, and although delicious on its own, the anglais sauce really elevates it in presentation, flavor and texture.
I topped mine with some streusel, but this and the fig jam is not necessary to make this an extraordinary dessert. The apples are a natural compliment to anything made with flavorful almonds, and the simple anglais base adds an ethereal creaminess.
This is simply an undoubtedly delicious dessert to make for family or for any elegant gathering of friends.
Streusel Topping (enough for 3 cakes)
2 sticks cold salted butter
2 cups flour
1cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
6 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup ground pecans **optional
Cut the cold butter into small pieces and place into a medium sized bowl. Add the flour, brown and granulated sugar and cinnamon and cut the dry ingredients into the butter with your fingers until it resembles a coarse meal. If you are adding ground pecans, add them last.
Almond Cake Tart (makes 3-10”)
1 pound butter, softened
1 pound granulated sugar
1 pound 4 oz almond paste
1 pound 4 oz eggs (about 11 eggs)
9 oz cake flour
4-5 apples per cake (12-15 if you are making 3 cakes), cored, cut in half and thinly sliced
**fig jam, optional
1 recipe anglais sauce
Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the almond paste and sugar to a mixing bowl, and using the paddle attachment, combine the mixture for about 10 minutes until there are no visible lumps of almond paste. Next add the softened butter until well combined. Next add the eggs one at a time until all are incorporated. Gently add in the flour, a little at a time until this too is all incorporated.
Grease and paper 3- 10” cake pans and set aside. Peel, core and slice apples and set them aside.
Add a shallow layer of batter (about 1” high in the base of the cake pan, and then place the sliced apple halve on this base.
Fill it as much of the cake pan as possible with the sliced apple halves. If you are using the fig jam, place a small teaspoon of the fig jam on top of each apple.
Cover this entire layer of apples with more batter and even out the top using an offset spatula. You know you have added enough when you see the apples just peeking out through the cake batter.
Top the entire cake with streusel and then bake until golden brown, 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool completely and serve with creme anglais sauce.
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