Classic Danish Apple Cake

September 5, 2013

Classic Danish Apple Cake © kvalifood.com

Classic Danish apple cake — layers of apple compote and toasted rusk crumbs topped with whipped cream. Not a baked cake, but a cold dessert assembled in a bowl. The apple cake everyone knows.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

1 portion apple compote
50 g butter
15–20 rusks
2–3 tbsp sugar
200 ml whipping cream
preserved strawberries (or jelly) (optional)

Directions

Toast the crumbs

Make the apple compote and leave it to cool. Put the rusks in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Mix the crumbs with the sugar.

Melt the butter in a pan and toast the crumbs over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool completely.

Assemble the apple cake

Whip the cream. Layer the compote and crumbs in a bowl — 3 layers of crumbs and 2 layers of compote. Top with whipped cream and, if you like, strawberries or jelly.

Serving

Serve immediately while the crumbs are still crisp.

Notes

The crumbs must be completely cooled before assembling — otherwise they go soft.
Raw apple cake variation: crush macaroons in the bottom of a bowl, drizzle with port wine, top with grated raw apples mixed with orange juice and sugar, and finish with whipped cream and almonds.
The cake loses its crunch if it sits too long — assemble just before serving.