‘Apple cake’ with macaroons and whipped cream

This is the kind of dessert that was traditionally made by your grandmother for your daily or weekly visits to her house. I make it in small jam jars but you can use any suitable serving glasses or pots. We have almost as many apple trees as people in Denmark and love the fruit in both sweet and savoury dishes.

My great-great-great-great-great-grandfather in fact planted the first apple trees on Tåsinge, the island that I come from. It’s a good idea to make a double portion of the apple purée – it can also be used for an apple and bacon topping on an open sandwich, or as an accompaniment for pork chops.

SERVES 8

FOR THE APPLE PUREE

  • 1kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
  • 160g raw cane sugar
  • 2 tbsp vanilla sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, cut into 5 pieces
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 300ml (10fl oz/1¼ cups) water
  • FOR THE ‘CAKE’
  • 200g amaretti biscuits
  • 300ml whipping cream
  • 4 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Place the apples in a large lidded saucepan with the sugar, vanilla sugar, vanilla pod, cinnamon and the measured water – ensuring there is enough water to just cover the apples.

Over medium heat, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat, add the lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then remove and discard the vanilla pod pieces.

Remove and reserve most of the water, then blend the apple mixture in a blender or food processor until thick and smooth, adding a little more of the water if needed.

Crush the amaretti biscuits – you can use a mortar and pestle, or place in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Whisk the cream until it is stiff and smooth.

Put a layer of the crushed amaretti in the bottom of a small jam jar. Add a thick layer of the cold apple purée, another layer of the amaretti, another layer of apple and then a final layer of the amaretti. Finally, add a layer of the whipped cream and a dollop of redcurrant jelly. Repeat with the rest of the jars and serve immediately.

From Cook Yourself Happy: The Danish Way by Caroline Fleming. Photographs by Lisa Linder. Published by Jacqui Small, £25. Follow Caroline on her Instagram @carolineflemingofficial

 

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