I remember trying to learn cooking from my grandmother. It is rather challenging to be able to get the specific amount of ingredients that she magically sprinkles into her dishes. Each time when I ask her “how much?”, she replies, “just enough”, which is not good enough for me. I am so metrical! I want to churn the exact taste when I replicate the dish. Each time I stood diligently at the same spot in the kitchen by her side with my notepad and pen like a student attending a lecture class, ready to take notes. “Put the stationery away and look”, she says. Even so, it is no easy task. After so many years spent with her in the kitchen, I like to think that I could cook like her.
The recipes for those delicious dishes were difficult to obtain. Good home cooking is my favourite. So when Allegra McEvedy published her article in the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/14/allegra-mcevedys-swedish-apple-cake) a few weeks ago, it became top priority on the to-bake list (we were out to get the apples the very next day). However, when you have the ingredients at hand, it is, as indicated very quick to prepare.
Reading through the recipe, I thought it was unusual to melt the butter in water before adding it to the rest of the batter. It makes the whole batter watery and I was concern that the cake is not going to turn out cakey. It turns out to be more of a pudding then a cake. Felt very heavy in weight but there is no guilt to having a generous portion of this pudding.
Swedish Apple Cake
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
250g flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
150g butter, melted in 240ml water
3 bramleys, cut into large bite-sized chunks
melted butter
3 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Whisk the eggs and caster sugar, until it is thick and pale.
Sift in the flour and baking powder, and fold gently until it is all combined.
Beat the melted butter into the mixture.
Grease a baking tray (25cm x 5 cm deep) with butter, then pour the batter in.
Drop the pieces of apple into the mix. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with golden granulated sugar and some cinnamon.
Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, then take it out and leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge and turn out on to a plate, then flip again so the apples are on top.
Serve hot or at room temperature with a creamy accompaniment of your choice.
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