Big Sur Bakery Cookbook - Michelle Wojtowicz [55]
Serve the grilled mackerel warm or at room temperature, accompanied by lemon wedges.
Photographs by Sara Remington
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Apple Upside-Down Cake
For this recipe, we decided not to resort to the overused combination of apples and cinnamon and opted instead for nutmeg and vanilla to enhance the apple flavors. The cake, covered in caramel-soaked apples, goes particularly well with unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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INGREDIENTS
FOR THE APPLE BUTTER:
1 vanilla bean
6 apples (golden delicious, honey crisp, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes
Juice of 1 lemon wedge
¼ cup apple juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
¼ cup sugar
FOR THE CARAMEL APPLES:
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
5 apples, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 wedges
FOR THE CAKE:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (packed) light or dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
Serves 8 to 10
Begin with the apple butter: Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife, scrape out the pulp with the back of the knife, and put the pulp and the pod in a medium saucepan. Add the apples, a few drops of lemon juice, and the apple juice, nutmeg, and sugar. Cover and cook over medium heat until the apples are steamed and soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Smash the apples with the back of a wooden spoon until they form a sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to allow the excess moisture to evaporate, for another 10 to 15 minutes. The apple butter is ready when it becomes thicker and smoother and has a rich tan color. Let the apple butter cool to room temperature. Remove the vanilla pod.
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
To make the caramel apples, cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and cook over medium heat until it caramelizes to a deep golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully add the apple wedges, transfer the skillet to the oven, and bake for about 15 minutes, until the apples are tender but still retain their shape. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely in the skillet. (Leave the oven on.)
While the apples are cooling down, prepare the cake batter: Cream the butter, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the egg and 1 cup of the apple butter, and mix to combine. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated—be careful not to overmix the batter or the cake will be tough. Pour the cake batter directly over the caramel apples in the cast-iron skillet, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
Using a pair of kitchen towels or oven mitts, invert the cake: Place a plate that’s larger than the skillet over the top of the cake. Holding the skillet on the bottom, assertively flip the skillet and plate over together, inverting the cake onto the plate. Slowly lift off the skillet. If any apples stick to the skillet, remove them with a spatula and put them back on the cake. Let the cake sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving it.
Photographs by Sara Remington
October
Phil and Michelle
Profile: Philip, Chief
Profile: Michelle, Baker
Yam and Sweet Potato Pie
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apples, Leeks, Mushrooms, and Walnuts
Stewed Leeks
Roasted Chicken
Quail Stuffed with Chanterelles and Foie Gras, with Polenta and Jus
Quince Paste
Pumpkin Bread
Photographs by Sara Remington
Phil and Michelle