A cake for the holidays using Tahini, Buckwheat Honey, and Ras el Hanout. Other elements include brown butter organic apples, crème fraiche, fresh ginger, lemon, whole sesame seeds, and brown sugar. This cake is unique in flavor from the first 3 niche ingredients. The fresh ginger and lemon accent the apples and brown butter. The sesame seeds on top provide a textural difference that is welcomed. Very tasty served with a dollop of creme fraiche. Extra tahini is applied while warm for a nice play on a glaze or icing. And of course a drizzle of honey is also a welcome addition although completely optional. Red apples like the Arkansas Black variety are what I used. The skin on adds a nice touch. Small’s Farm all purpose flour was used. You can also swap out crème fraiche for yogurt or sour cream.
Serves 8-12 (9 inch cake)
Essential equipment needs:
Preheat oven to 325 f/162 c
Baking time 1 hour
Active time 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
250 g apples, diced, 1 mega apple or 2 regular sized
10 g ginger, freshly grated
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1.5 g ras el hanout (1 teaspoon)
225 g all purpose flour
10 g baking powder (2 teaspoons)
4 g salt (1 teaspoon)
180 g brown sugar
150 g crème fraiche
120 g tahini, plus extra for the glaze
85 g buckwheat honey, plus extra for the glaze
2 eggs, large
Raw sesame seeds, as needed for the top
METHOD
Step 1 Prepare pan
Butter or spray a 9 inch round cake pan with the bottom lined with a parchment circle.
Step 2 Prepare apples
250 g apples, diced, 1 mega apple or 2 regular sized
10 g ginger, freshly grated
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1.5 g ras el hanout (1 teaspoon)
Dice apples to about ½-¾ inch cubes. Place apples into a medium sized bowl.
Grate ginger onto the apples. Grate lemon zest onto apples and strain in the lemon juice from the whole lemon. Add the ras el hanout and toss to combine.
Step 3 Cook apples
Brown butter in a pan over medium high flame and when butter foams drop flame to medium. Continue to cook while whisking until brown and toasty. This can take 5-10 minutes depending on how the heat is applied. Add apple mixture, cover with the pan lid, turn flame down to a low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and set aside.
Step 4 Sift dry mix
225 g all purpose flour
10 g baking powder (2 teaspoons)
4 g salt (1 teaspoon)
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl using a fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
Step 5 Combine wet mix
180 g brown sugar
150 g crème fraiche
120 g tahini
85 g buckwheat honey
2 eggs, large
In a medium sized bowl whisk together brown sugar, crème fraiche, tahini, honey, and eggs until smooth and well combined.
Step 6 Marry the mix
Raw sesame seeds, as needed for the top
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and fold together with a silicone spatula. Adding wet to the dry in this manner prevents any flour lumps and creates a smooth uniform batter.
Mix until just combined and a smooth batter is formed. Do not over mix. You will continue mixing when adding the apple mixture.
Lastly fold in the apple mixture until evenly dispersed into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan and top with raw sesame seeds.
Step 7 Bake the cake
Position rack to the center.
Bake the cake in a preheated
325 f/162 c oven for 1 hour or until the center springs back when gently pushed in the center. Remove cake onto a wire rack to cool.
Step 8 Glaze (optional)
tahini, about ¼ cup
honey, as needed
While the cake is still warm, preferably right out of the oven, spoon tahini on top and spread to the edges. Drizzle with some honey.
Step 9 Slice and enjoy
Enjoy cake while still warm or allow it to cool before slicing. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and a cup of tea or coffee.
Storage
Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Wrap only after completely cooled. Cake will stay moist the whole time and will actually improve after resting a day or so.
