Meringue Cake with Roasted Apples (or Pears!)
Aran Goyoaga's new book Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple includes this amazing recipe for meringue cake with roasted apples. I made it as written, except I did mine with pears. Aran has graciously allowed me to share her recipe with you.
Servings: 1 9-inch cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 7 tbsp (100g) unsalted butter or dairy-free butter plus more for greasing
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (225g) sugar divided
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup (95g) superfine brown rice flour
- 1/3 cup (40g) tapioca starch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (55g) whole milk or oat milk
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/3 cup (40g) raw sliced almonds
Caramelized Apples (or Pears!)
- 1 large firm and juice apple such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp I used pears in place of the apple
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter or dairy-free butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract make homemade vanilla
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Position a rack in the lower half of the oven.
- Grease the inside of a 9-inch springform pan or tube pan with butter. Alternatively, use a 9-inch cake pan: line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to help lift the cake out of the pan.
- To make the cake, combine the butter and 1/2 cup (100g) of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar over medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolks one at a time until all are incorporated. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl and paddle if needed.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Finish by adding the milk. Once the batter comes together, increase the speed to high and give it a good whip for 15 seconds or so to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and set aside. Wash the mixer bowl, making sure there is no residue of batter in it.
- Put the egg whites into the clean mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whip them on medium speed until they begin to foam and increase in volume. Add the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (125g) sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue whipping until all the sugar is incorporated.
- Increase the speed to high and whip into glossy, stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the cake batter, creating swirl patterns with the spatula. Sprinkle the almonds on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The meringue will puff up and almonds should be golden brown. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake and remove it from the pan to cool completely. The top will have deflated slightly and cracked in spots.
- Meanwhile, make the caramelized pears. Peel, halve and core the pear. Cut each half into slices that are about 1/4 inch thick.
- Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan and cook until it melts and turns a light amber. Carefully stir in the butter, vinegar, vanilla, and spices, as the caramel may splatter.
- Add the apple slices and toss to coat with the caramel. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the pears occasionally. Try not to mush them too much. They should be slightly soft and caramel colored. If the caramel thickens too much, add 1 tablespoon of water or orange juice. Let the apples cool for a few minutes before topping the cake. Store the cake, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
©2021 by Aran Goyoaga. Excerpted from Canelle et Vanille Bakes Simple by permission of Sasquatch Books.