Apple Torte

Thanks for Bureka Boy for a marvelous recipe, and as usual, a great how-to that makes baking gorgeous desserts like this a snap.I brought the torte to a Hanukkah dinner party tonight, and it was a huge hit with all ages. (Hint- keep the sides on the springform pan for risk-free transport.)

Go ahead, try it. It’s not hard to make at all….

European Apple Torte 

I strongly encourage you to read the recipe at Bureka Boy’s site – it’s complete with beautiful prep photos and hand holding instructions. I’m putting an abbreviated version here for easy printing. 

Crust Ingredients

  •  1/2 c butter, soft
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 1 pkg vanilla sugar, optional
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 c all purpose flour

Cheese layer ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (8 oz/25o g) cream cheese, room temp.
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1 egg

Apple layer ingredients:

  • 2 large baking apples* (plus 1 extra, just in case)
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 1/2 – 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 c sliced almonds

Crust: In a large mixing bowel using the paddle, together the butter, vanilla, sugar and salt. Mix until well blended.  Add the flour and mix only until blended. Place the dough in an ungreased 8 1/2″ springform pan. Pat and press the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan and up the sides about 1 1/2 inches. make sure it is even. And not too thick between the bottom of the crust and the walls of it. You will think you don’t have enough dough, but trust me, you do. Just keep working it and thin it out to cover.  Set aside.

Cheese filling : Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl using the paddle for 2 or 3 minutes. It needs to be perfectly smooth and not grainy.  Place the cheese filling in the unbaked crust, smoothing it using a rubber spatula. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450F at this point.

Apple layer: Peel and slice the apples 1/8 inch think. Layer the apples around the outer perimeter, carefully overlapping them. When you get to the first apple you layered, lift it to add the last one. Repeat a second layer just inside the first. Arrange the few apple slices in the innermost layer nicely. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and with a spoon, distribute the mixture evenly all over the apples.. It will look like too much – don’t worry it is not. Finally, sprinkle the almonds evenly over the apples.

Bake for 10 minutes only @ 450 F and then reduce the heat right away to 400 F and cook for another 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven to a baking rack and let cool completely. Gently run a knife around the cooled torte and release the spring siding. Let the torte sit several hours in the fridge for it to firm up properly before eating it. It is best served slightly cold or at room temperature.  Dust with confectioners sugar if you like or serve with whipped cream dollops. I serve mine plain.

4 Responses to Apple Torte

  1. wow, TBTAM! thanks for the mention and picture of how PERFECT it turned out. glad it went over well with everyone.

    happy holiday/s!

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