Classic Danish Apple Cake

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.