French Apple Cake

Not quite the ‘traditional’ French apple cake - we’ve tinkered, and changed a few ingredients. Most recipes call for ‘Rum’ except in French they ask for ‘Rhum’, not just a different spelling but a completely different tasting spirit. We’ve used Brandy because it’s closer to Rhum than Rum.

Ingredients:
½ cup (115g) salted butter, plus more for pan
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon4 large apples a mix of varieties, cored and sliced
¾ cup (150g) white sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) coarse salt2 Tbsp (30 mL) Cognac or Brandy
⅔ cup (95g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 2 large eggs 2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp (15 mL) raw sugar crystals

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Grease a 9” springform pan with butter, and dust evenly with flour.
In a fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter; swirling the pan frequently, cook until the butter browns and has a nutty aroma.
Pour the melted butter into a heatproof bowl -don’t scrape out the pan.
Stir the cinnamon into the butter and set aside.
Toss all of the apples, 1 Tbsp of the sugar and salt into the still-hot pan and cook over medium-high heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have released their moisture and are starting to brown.
Add the Brandy or Cognac and cook until evaporated.
Spread the apples in an even layer on a baking tray and refrigerate until cool to the touch.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and the remaining sugar.
Whisk the browned butter into the egg mixture.
Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until smooth.
Fold the cooled apples into the batter.
Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the raw sugar crystals .
Bake until it’s a deep brown, 55 to 60 minutes.
Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Release from the pan and cool in the fridge before serving.