In addition to the earlier mentioned “Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux” – translated into “Roast Chicken for Lazy People,” I have also fallen in love with Dorie’s “Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake.” It is literally one of the easiest dishes you can make, and it’s just the pure definition of rustic, comfort food.
It’s one of those dishes I make when I’m feeling a bit down-in-the-dumps, when there’s two feet of snow on the ground or when I’m expecting someone to drop by for a cup of coffee and a small snack. It lasts up to three days – just hanging out on its own antique cake stand – and if anything, tastes better on day three than when it comes out of the oven. I often add my own twists to recipes, but there’s no way to improve on Dorie’s take on apple cake. Make sure though, that you choose four different apples – including at least one that’s nicely tart. Every bite will taste different depending upon the apples perched on your fork. You can add a soft dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of French vanilla ice cream, but honestly, it’s simple goodness on its own.
Enjoy – and appreciate how simple real French cooking is to make.
DORIE GREENSPAN’S “MARIE-HELENE’S APPLE CAKE”
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's evenish.
Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.
The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature and gets more comforting with each passing day. However long you keep the cake, it's best not to cover it - it's too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.
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