Sharmila on Food

Apple and hazelnut cake, with butterscotch sauce

Yes, butterscotch sauce.  That was probably enough to prompt me to make this recipe, which is an adaptation of one kindly given to me by Elisabeth who is one half of the duo who have created the fab My Cookie Heaven app.

This is a really fabulous cake.  The original called for pears and walnuts. Having neither to hand, I opted for apples and hazelnuts. Regardless, the end result was still wonderful - moistness from the apples, crunch from the hazelnuts, and a hit of booze to round everything off.  The butterscotch sauce is no mere after thought - if you’re going to make this cake, make the sauce.  It brings all these flavours together wonderfully, and then you also have a stash of butterscotch sauce in the fridge to eat in whichever way you want (probably straight out of the fridge with a spoon/fingers).

Apple and hazelnut cake with butterscotch sauce

(I apologise for the measurements in cups - I have them to hand, but realise not everyone does)

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp brandy (optional)
1/3 cup milk
2 ripe apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup of toasted, chopped hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 175 C and grease and flour a 23cm round cake tin.

2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer or using an electric handheld mixer until the mixture is fluffy and well combined. Leaving the mixer on, beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often. Stir in the brandy.

 4. Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture until everything is just combined, then half the milk. Stir in the remaining flour mixture. Then add the milk and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the hazelnuts, raisins and apple.

5. Scrape the batter into the cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40-45 until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 5 mins, then invert cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Butterscotch sauce

3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp fleur de sel or maldon

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil until it turns a light amber colour. Do not stir. If the syrup darkens unevenly, gently tilt the pan to distribute the caramel. 
2. When the syrup is uniformly amber (make sure it does not turn too dark), turn off the heat and stir in the cream with a wooden spoon. The mixture will bubble quite a lot, but it will then calm down. Keep stirring. Once the bubbling has subsided completely, stir in the butter and salt. Allow to cool to warm before serving it spooned over the cake, with cream, ice cream, or whatever you want.