Harlinger apple cake

While this five-layer number takes a few hours to prepare, it will impress even the most discerning cake lover. Stacking shortcrust, sponge, semolina crème, custard, apples and almonds, there is something for everyone in every bite. Serve with double cream or ice-cream.

• serves

  10–12

• prep

  1 hour

• cook

  1:15 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 600 g red apples
• icing sugar to serve
• cream, to serve

Shortcrust

• 100 g unsalted butter
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 150 g plain flour

Sponge

• 2 eggs
• 50 g caster sugar
• 25 g plain flour
• 25 g cornflour

Marzipan

• 60 g icing sugar
• 50 g almond meal
• 1 egg white

Semolina crème

• 185 ml milk
• 20 g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 30 g semolina
• marzipan from above

Cream topping

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1 lemon, rind finely grated
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 250 ml cream
• 100 ml milk
• 50 g slivered almonds

Resting time 30 minutes

The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.

Instructions

To make shortcrust, cream the butter and sugar until combined. Beat in the egg until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 190˚C. Roll shortcrust into a 26 cm round, 5 mm thick. Line the base of a lightly greased 26cm springform tin with shortcrust. Line the pastry with baking paper and cover with baking weights. Blind bake for 10 minutes, remove the baking paper and weights and cook for a further 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove the pastry from the tin and allow to cool.

To make the sponge, lightly grease a 26 cm springform tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high for 8-10 minutes until tripled in volume and the mixture falls in ribbons when drizzled back into the bowl. Sift over combined flour and cornflour and gently fold to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and gently smooth the top. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden and springy when touched. Turn out onto a cake rack and allow to cool. Grease and line the cake tin again, then return the shortcrust to the tin and top with the sponge.

To make the marzipan, blend all the ingredients in food processor until combined.

To make the semolina crème, combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the semolina and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until thick and creamy. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 1 minute, then mix in the marzipan. Immediately spread the mixture evenly over the sponge.

Peel and core the apples and cut into ½ cm thick slices. Arrange apple slices over the semolina layer.

To make the cream topping, whisk the egg, sugar and lemon rind until combined. Whisk in the flour, and combined milk and cream in a few batches until smooth. Pour the batter over the apples and top with the almonds. Return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 30–35 minutes until evenly golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and cooling completely.

Dust with icing sugar, cut into slices and serve with cream.

Photography by Alan Benson

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.