English Apple and Almond Trifle with Calvados recipes - Dessert cakes

Author: Jennifer Davis

Dessert cakes Easy entertaining Cake recipes Desserts Autumn

I love it with peaches or apricots in summer, in spring it's good with rhubarb, and in autumn I use half blackberries and half apples. I have used an excellent ready-made custard myself, but if you want to be more purist and have the time, you can try my Traditional English Custard recipe (See our Cookery School Video on this page), and go the whole hog.

Prune, Apple and Armagnac Cake with Almond Streusel Topping
English Apple and Almond Trifle with Calvados
Apple and Almond Crumble

Prune, Apple and Armagnac Cake with Almond Streusel Topping

This is a cake that borders on being a dessert, and would be my choice for a celebration supper party, served warm with crème fraîche. If you are not a lover of Armagnac, the prunes also taste good served with port or amaretto liqueur.
Provided by: Delia Smith
Total time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Yields: 0 servings
Cuisine: General
Number of ingredients: 16

Ingredients:

12 oz (350 g) ready-to-eat pitted prunes or mi-cuit plums (these will need to be pitted)
3 fl oz (75 ml) Armagnac or port
3 oz (75 g) caster sugar
2 oz (50 g) whole almonds, halved lengthways and shredded very finely but untoasted
3 oz (75 g) self-raising flour
1 oz (25 g) butter, at room temperature
3 oz (75 g) demerara sugar
2 oz (50 g) diced Bramley apple
3 oz (75 g) self-raising flour
½ level teaspoon baking powder
2 oz (50 g) soft butter
1 oz (25 g) ground almonds
2 oz (50 g) caster sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
icing sugar to finish

How to cook:

Although the ready-to-eat prunes are not supposed to need soaking, we prefer to soak them just the same (the advantage is having them ready stoned).
Start the recipe the night before you want to serve the cake by placing the prunes in a saucepan along with the sugar and 5 fl oz (150 ml) of water and simmer them very gently for 15 minutes. After that drain them, discarding the cooking liquid, then place them in a bowl, add the Armagnac, stir well, cover and leave overnight.
When you're ready to make the cake, begin with the streusel topping: place the sifted flour and the butter in a bowl and rub the butter in until the mixture becomes crumb-like. Then add the sugar, mixing it in evenly, and after that sprinkle in 1 dessertspoon of cold water and fork the mixture until it is coarse and lumpy. Now leave it to one side with the almonds.
The cake mixture is very simple indeed – all you do is sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients (except for the apple) then, using an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon and some old-fashioned elbow grease, beat the mixture together until smooth. After that, fold in the apple, then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Now arrange the prunes all over the mixture, then fork the streusel topping over the prunes and finally sprinkle the shredded almonds evenly over the surface. Place the cake on the centre shelf of the oven, bake it for 1 hour, then remove from the oven.
Leave it in the tin for 30 minutes before turning it out to cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, sift the icing sugar over the surface.

Notes: Spiced Apple and Cider Cake, First chop the apple (no need to peel) and put it into a bowl with the cider and raisins while you prepare the cake. Sift the flour, baking

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prune apple and armagnac cake with almond streusel topping apple and armagnac cake with almond streusel topping english apple and almond trifle with calvados apple and almond trifle with calvados

English Apple and Almond Trifle with Calvados

Because I love trifle and am constantly challenged to find a new take on it, here goes. I have used an excellent ready-made custard myself, but if you want to be more purist and have the time, you can try my Traditional English Custard recipe (See our Cookery School Video on this page), and go the whole hog. And by the way, sherry can be used instead of Calvados.
Provided by: Delia Smith
Yields: 0 servings
Cuisine: British
Number of ingredients: 8

Ingredients:

1 large Cox’s apple
2 lb (900 g) Bramley apples
2 oz (50 g) whole blanched almonds
4 fl oz (110 ml) Calvados or 1/4 pint (150 ml) sherry
2 oz (50 g) golden caster sugar, plus 1 dessertspoon
5 trifle sponges
1 x 500 g carton ready-made custard, preferably Tesco Finest
1 x 250 g carton mascarpone

How to cook:

Start off by peeling, coring and slicing (fairly thinly) the Cox’s apple, then place it in a small saucepan with 1 dessertspoon of caster sugar.
Let it soften and release its own juices over a low heat for about 15 minutes, without a lid. The Bramley apples should be peeled, cored then sliced into a 2 pint (1.2 litre) pudding basin, sprinkling in the 2 oz (50 g) caster sugar as you go. Lastly add 1 tablespoon water, then put a saucepan lid or plate on top of the basin, place it on a baking tray and bake the apples in the oven for about 45 minutes or until they are fluffy.
Meanwhile, cut each trifle sponge into three and place the pieces in the base of a serving bowl. Stab them with a small knife then carefully pour the Calvados over each one to distribute it evenly. When the Cox’s apple is cooked and has cooled, drain off the juice and place the slices in amongst the sponges. When the Bramleys are cooked, remove them from the oven and beat them to a puree with a fork – they don’t need to be too uniform. Then while the oven is still on, toast the almonds on a baking sheet for 6 minutes (and do use a timer to make sure they don’t burn!). Watch how to do this in our Cookery School Video on this page.
When the apple puree is absolutely cold, you need to combine it with half the custard, then pour it evenly over the sponges. Now, in a bowl, beat the mascarpone to soften it, then combine it with the rest of the custard and spoon it carefully over the puree mixture, spreading it out evenly. Finally chop the toasted nuts – not too finely, they should still be a bit chunky. Cover and chill the trifle and serve it with the chopped nuts sprinkled over the top.

Notes: Reheating apple and almond pudding, I've made the delicious Baked Apple and Almond Sponge Pudding before and know it will keep in fridge for 3 days . Can I warm this pudding up

Apple and Almond Crumble

This is a moveable feast because absolutely any fruit can be used. I love it with peaches or apricots in summer, in spring it's good with rhubarb, and in autumn I use half blackberries and half apples. Whatever fruit you use, though, the great thing about the topping is that it bakes to a lovely short, crumbly crispness that is almost crunchy.
Provided by: Delia Smith
Total time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yields: 8 servings
Cuisine: British
Number of ingredients: 11

Ingredients:

1 lb 8 oz (700 g) Bramley apples
8 oz (225 g) Cox's apples
1 oz (25 g) light brown soft sugar
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ level teaspoon ground cloves
4 oz (110 g) whole almonds, skin on
3 oz (75 g) chilled butter, cut into small dice
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour, sifted
2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 oz (110 g) demerara sugar
custard or pouring cream

How to cook:

Begin by preparing the apples.
I always find the best way to do this is to cut them first in quarters, then pare off the peel with a potato peeler and slice out the cores. Now cut them into thickish slices and toss them in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves, then place them in the baking dish and put to one side. Next make the crumble, which couldn't be simpler, as it is all made in a processor. All you do is place the butter, sifted flour, cinnamon and sugar in the processor and give it a whiz till it resembles crumbs. Next add the almonds and process again, not too fast, until they are fairly finely chopped and there are still a few chunky bits.
If you don't have a processor, in a large bowl, rub the butter into the sifted flour until it resembles crumbs, then stir in the cinnamon, sugar and almonds, which should be fairly finely chopped by hand. Now simply sprinkle the crumble mixture all over the apples, spreading it right up to the edges of the dish, and, using the flat of your hands, press it down quite firmly all over; the more tightly it is packed together the crisper it will be. Then finish off by lightly running a fork all over the surface. Now bake the crumble on the centre shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes, by which time the apples will be soft and the topping golden brown and crisp.
Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving, then serve it warm with custard or pouring cream.

Notes: Apple and almond pudding cake — another River Cottage recipe, Missing: delia | Must include: