Angela’s apple cake

Torta di mele di Angela Serves 8

Quite different from the usual Tuscan apple cake, the bottom is rather dense and crumbly – a support for all the apples that melt down into a surprisingly thin layer, topped with a veil of butter and sugar. It’s absolutely delicious just out of the oven, still warm, and tastes even better, warmed up on the following day or so.

For the cake

— 200g butter, softened, plus

extra for greasing

— 60g sugar

— 1egg

— 150g plain flour

— 2 tsp baking powder

— zest and juice of 1 lemon

— 650g (about 4) apples,

peeled and sliced

— splash of brandy or rum

For the topping

— 80g butter, softened — 80g sugar

— 50g plain flour

— 250ml freshly whipped cream, to serve Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.

For the cake, combine the butter, sugar, egg, flour, baking powder, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of salt until creamy. Transfer to the prepared cake tin. Layer over the apple slices and sprinkle them with brandy.

For the topping, rub or mix together the butter, sugar and flour in a bowl. Top the apples with this mixture and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the apples have cooked down and become tender.

Allow to cool (or eat warm, my preference) and serve with some softly whipped cream.