- Szarlotka is the word my mother used for (apple) crumble.
- In some parts of Poland szarlotka is the word used for an apple cake.
- I wanted to create a cake that was cross between a cake and a crumble.
- I have used half the quantity from my apple cake (jabłecznik) recipe as the base and then used a drier crumble type mixture – called kruszonka in Polish – for the top.
- I have already done this for a rhubarb cake, so I have revisted this recipe.
- I have adjusted the recipe to use just one type of flour (plain) and one type of sugar (granulated) to make it easier.
Apple Filling
- You can use an apple filling with just apples and sugar with the addition of cinnamon.
- Sometimes in Poland raisins or sultanas are added to the apples.
- As I had some homemade, fruit mincemeat left from last year to use up (made from Delia Smith’s recipe but without nuts) before I made this year’s batch, I added some of this to the apples.
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 Bramley Apples
- Granulated Sugar to taste – keep it slightly tart
- A little water
- 4 tablespoons of mincemeat
Method
- Make the apple filling first, even the day beforehand as it needs to be cold before you use it.
- Peel and core the apples and cut them into thick slices.
- Stew the apples gently with some sugar and very little water. You can make this in a saucepan on the stove or place the apples and sugar in a dish in the oven.
- Do not add a lot of sugar at the beginning as it does not want to be too sweet, you can adjust the sweetness at the end.
- Do not make it too much of a purée, cook it so that you have some soft apples but with some harder less cooked chunks as well.
- Leave this to be completely cool.
- Mix in the mincemeat.
Note
When I have lots of apples, I cook a large amount and portion this up and keep them in the freezer – add the mincemeat when making the cake.
Base
- 150g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 100g butter
- 40g granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or water.
Topping (kruszonka)
- 120g plain flour
- 60g butter
- 60g granulated sugar
Method – Base
- You have to use a loose bottom or spring-form tin or you will not be able to get the cake out.
- I use a loose bottomed anodised aluminium cake tin which is 22cm in diameter and 8cm deep.
- Grease the tin well.
- First make the cake base by rubbing the butter into the flour to make crumbs, then stir in the sugar.
- Add the yolk and lemon juice and bring the ingredients together to form a soft dough – do not handle the dough too much.
- Pre heat the oven to GM 4 – 180ºC.
- Make the dough into a rough flat circle and press it into the base of the tin.
Method – Topping
- Make the topping by rubbing the butter into the flour to make crumbs and then stir in the sugar.
- Put the apple mixture on top of the base – it wants to be quite a thick layer.
- Sprinkle the topping crumbs over the apple mixture.
- Bake in the oven for around 1 hour.
- Leave to cool in the tin.
- Use a long metal spatula to ease the cake from the side of the tin, then place the cake on to the top of a tin can and slide the side down.
Tea set here is Woodside by Royal Grafton, 1940 – 1959
Dziekuje za prep is wlasnie upieklam jablecznik z czekoladowym mincemitem…..pyszny zjadlam z load I bo mine gardlo Boli.Pozdrawiam I Wesolych Swiat zycze.Marysia
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Smacznego! 🙂
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This puts apple turnovers to shame. I do enjoy crust that has a crispy texture. Looks delicious. Thank you
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I need to make this, looks so so delicious :))
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This is a general question. What is the equivelant measure as used in Polish recipes of szklanka, łyżka i łyżeczka? I live in the USA but I also have a scale.
Wesołych Świąt, Basia
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A szklanka is 250ml (slightly more than an American cup)
A łyżka is a tablespoon – 15ml
łyżkeczka is a teaspoon – 5ml
A have a post called “measure for measure” which is all about the complications of different measurements.
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This looks good!
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