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Gammeldags æblekage

Layered apple compote dessert

Gammeldags æblekage: Danish layered apple compote with toasted crumbs and cream

'Old-fashioned apple cake' is not a cake at all but a Danish trifle, made on autumn weekends when the apple trees are heavy: tart apple compote layered in a glass bowl with breadcrumbs or crushed macaroons toasted in butter and sugar, topped with whipped cream and a few dots of redcurrant jelly. The crumbs stay crunchy against the soft fruit. A common mistake is assembling it hours ahead, which turns the crumbs soggy. Chef's tip: toast the crumbs until deep golden and crisp, and assemble within an hour of serving.
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the compote

  • 2 ¼ lb cooking applespeeled, cored and chopped
  • 2 ⅛ oz sugar
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the crumbs

For the top

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Cook 2 ¼ lb cooking apples with 2 ⅛ oz sugar and 3 tbsp water in a covered pan over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring, until soft and pulpy. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and cool.

    15 min
  2. Step 2: Melt 1 ¾ oz butter in a frying pan, add 4 oz dry breadcrumbs and 1 ⅜ oz sugar and toast over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until golden and crisp. Cool.

    8 min
  3. Step 3: In a glass bowl, layer compote and crumbs, finishing with crumbs. Common mistake: layering hours ahead; the crumbs go soggy.

  4. Step 4: Top with 1 ¼ cups double cream and dots of 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly and serve within an hour.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
380 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
46 g
Fat
21 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does gammeldags æblekage take?
About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of cooking apples?
Pears, same amount.
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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