French baking done easily

EASY FRENCH APPLE CAKE

2 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/3 cup apricot preserves, strained

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Stir the butter and vanilla into the batter. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Arrange the apple slices in three rows, overlapping them slightly, on top of the cake. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Gently spread the preserves over the apples, then continue to bake 5 minutes longer. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares; serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 to 9 servings.

By Lauren Chattman

Newsday

How do you multitask in French? If you are a home baker, you might make Gateau aux Pommes, a simple apple cake that can be served after dinner and then eaten for breakfast or packed in a lunchbox the next day.

If you have a paring knife, a couple of bowls and a spoon, you have all of the necessary equipment. If you have 15 minutes, you have the time to put it together. Mix a simple batter, scrape it into a pan and top it with sliced fruit. As the cake bakes, the apples flavor the batter with their juices. The finished cake has a moist, custard-like consistency, punctuated by tender chunks of fruit.

You don’t need an electric mixer for this recipe. In fact, it’s better to mix the batter by hand, so you don’t overmix it, leading to a gummy result. I used tart apricot jam, pushed through a fine strainer so it is smooth, to glaze my cake. If you prefer, you could use apple jelly for a sweeter finish. If you’d like, substitute pears for apples, and use ginger preserves instead of apricot to add some spice. Serve warm slices of cake with ice cream or whipped cream. You could bake this cake in a 9-inch round cake pan, but I prefer a square pan for square or rectangular slices. It is easier to wrap and pack a square piece of leftover cake than a pointy wedge for lunch the next day.