Tuscan Apple Cake With A Crackly Meringue

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (organic preferred)
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• generous pinch salt
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 shredded large lemon, zest of
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 large about 1 pound apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (granny smith, braeburn, or gala)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Recipe

• 1 place the rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375°f grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. in a large bowl, with your fingertips, rub together the first measure of flour, the 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt, and butter until crumbly. remove 1 cup of the crumbs and press them onto bottom of the springform pan and about 1/2-inch up the sides, making a crust about 1/8-inch thick.
• 2 make a well in the remaining crumb mixture. pour into it the milk, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, the second measure of flour, and baking powder. with a whisk, blend this mixture thoroughly without incorporating the crumbs. then with a wooden spoon stir in the crumbs until well blended but still a little lumpy. fold in the apples. scrape the batter into the pan.
• 3 beat the egg until foamy. beat in the 2 tablespoons sugar until whites barely stand in peaks. zigzag it over the top of the batter, leaving 2/3 of the batter uncovered.
• 4 bake 65 to 75 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• 5 remove from oven and cool 30 minutes on a wire rack. slip off sides of the pan and finish cooling cake. serve at room temperature. covered in plastic wrap, the cake holds well at cool room temperature for 2 days. it keeps a week in the refrigerator. warming in the oven makes it even tastier.