Whoa, two sweet treats in a row, that’s some kind of record here on Earthy Feast! Treats were kind of a big deal in our house when we were kids. My sister and I drew out this detailed treasure map that highlighted all of the hiding spots for sweets. So obviously when the cat was away the mice would ransack and ravage, i.e., stuff all the sweets into our cheek pockets like squirrels as fast as we possibly could. We weren’t picky either, sometimes the only thing we could find was cocoa powder and we would swallow spoonfuls of it until we coughed up clouds of brown everywhere. This one time we got so desperate we dunked bags of fruit tea into honey and sucked on it pretending it was candy. My parents petitioned for healthy snacks in the school vending machine before that was even a thing. When all the other kids had lunchables and little debbie snacks we had lentil soup and fruit. Labeling a food as good or bad is something my subconscious just does and when I eat the bad foods I feel super guilty. It takes a ton of effort to think of foods as being neutral and really just focus on how they make me feel. That whole listening to your body stuff – eating when you’re hungry, stopping when you’re full is something I have to work on every single day. There’s obviously so much more to say and share about this topic, it’s way too much to cram into one post and somehow I need to transition to these lovely custardy apple squares.
Ok, these apple squares. They’re delicious – mostly fruit, not too sweet and you probably have all the ingredients on hand. I’ve made them so many times now I have the recipe memorized. Dorie’s book was on my amazon wish list for weeks and after going back many times to make the recipe from the free preview I decided I better buy it. So happy I did. So many wonderful recipes. Recipes that remind me of staying with my grandmother for the summer. Recipes that look so fancy but are really simple. I’ve served these apple squares with greek yogurt on the side but here they are with whiskey whip – the way we enjoyed them for my birthday last Sunday.
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Step 1
Slice the apples using a mandoline or a sharp knife, turning the fruit as you reach the core.
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Step 2
Working in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, sugar and salt together for about 2 minutes, until the sugar just about dissolves and, more important, the eggs are pale. Whisk in the vanilla, followed by the milk and melted butter. Turn the flour into the bowl and stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth.
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Step 3
Add the apples, switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the apples into the batter, turning everything around until each thin slice is coated in batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can–it will be bumpy; that’s its nature.
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Step 4
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, uniformly puffed– make sure the middle of the cake has risen–and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Ingredients for Dorie’s Custardy Apple Squares
3 medium juicy, sweet apples, peeled
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Ingredients for the Whiskey Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon whiskey
Ingredients for the Buttery Almond Slivers
1/2 cup almond slivers
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt
Directions
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Slice the apples using a mandoline or a sharp knife, turning the fruit as you reach the core. The slices should be about 1/16 th inch thick– elegantly thin, but not so thin that they’re transparent and fragile. Discard the cores.
Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.
Working in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, sugar and salt together for about 2 minutes, until the sugar just about dissolves and, more important, the eggs are pale. Whisk in the vanilla, followed by the milk and melted butter. Turn the flour into the bowl and stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the apples, switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the apples into the batter, turning everything around until each thin slice is coated in batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can–it will be bumpy; that’s its nature.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, uniformly puffed– make sure the middle of the cake has risen–and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
For the whiskey whip – whisk cream in your stand mixer until soft peaks form then add a tablespoon of whiskey and blend for another minute.
For the buttery almond slivers – in a small saucepan melt butter with salt and almonds and toast until fragrant on medium heat. Add sugar and toast for a minute or so longer, stirring a few times to coat.
Notes
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking Chez Moi
You can also find the recipe here and more of her favorites here.