Apple Mascarpone Cake

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 125 g sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 100 g flour
• 50 g cornstarch
• 5 ripe apples (e.g., Boskop)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 450 ml apple juice
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1 packet vanilla pudding powder (for 500 ml liquid)
• 20 ml Calvados
• 10 sheets gelatin
• 400 g mascarpone
• 300 g low‑fat quark
• 20 ml amaretto
• 200 g sugar
• 250 ml Whipping Cream
• 150 g amarettini

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) with upper and lower heat.

2. 2.

   Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with half of the sugar until fluffy. Whisk the whites with a pinch of salt, gradually add the remaining sugar, and beat until glossy peaks form. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture. Sift together the flour and cornstarch, then fold in gradually. Pour the batter into a springform pan lined with parchment paper, smooth the top, and bake for about 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile, peel, quarter, and core the apples. Dice four apples into small cubes and cut the remaining apple into thin strips. Toss both with lemon juice.

4. 4.

   Heat 300 ml apple juice with 6 tbsp sugar in a saucepan, then simmer the apple cubes for 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid. Whisk the pudding powder with 2 tbsp apple juice, pour into the hot liquid, and thicken while stirring. Fold in the apple cubes and let cool.

5. 5.

   Heat the remaining apple juice with Calvados in another pan, simmer the apple strips for 3 minutes, then remove, drain, and set aside.

6. 6.

   Remove the baked sponge from the oven, allow it to cool, release from the pan, and let it cool completely. Slice horizontally once, place one layer on a cake plate, and secure with a ring.

7. 7.

   Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water.

8. 8.

   Whisk mascarpone with quark, amaretto, and sugar. Melt the gelatin in a small pot over low heat until liquid, stir in 2 tbsp mascarpone, then fold into the rest of the cream. Whip the cream stiffly and fold it in.

9. 9.

   Spread one‑third of the cream on the sponge base, top with apple compote, cover with half of the remaining cream. Place the second layer, press lightly, and chill for 1 hour. Remove the ring, coat the cake with the rest of the cream, garnish with apple strips and a few amarettini. Crush the remaining amarettini in a bag with a wooden spoon and sprinkle over the rim. Chill another hour.

10. 10.

    Serve sliced.

11. 11.