Baking
Apple & Hazelnut Streusel
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the streusel
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 25g (1 oz) (2 tbsp) diced, extra to grease Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp toasted skinned hazelnuts, finely chopped
For the cake
- 150g (5 oz) (10 tbsp) at room temperature Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter
- 150g (5 oz) (? cup) caster sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 225g (8 oz) (1 cup) self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and diced (about 175g (6oz) (1 cup))
- 100g (4 oz) (¾ cup) toasted skinned hazelnuts, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp milk
- Warm custard, to serve
Directions
This winter warmer is scrumptious with custard, clotted cream or crème fraîche. In summer why not experiment with seasonal fruits such as rhubarb or blackberries and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. And if you simply can’t wait for the sunshine, freeze some hand-picked berries in August.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4. Butter a 23cm (9in) loose bottom cake tin and line with a circle of buttered parchment paper. To make the streusel, place the flour in a small bowl and rub in the butter, then stir in the brown sugar and hazelnuts.
- For the cake, beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Feel free to cheat with a hand held electric mixer. Beat the eggs, one at a time, adding one tablespoon of flour when half the eggs are beaten to prevent curdling. Sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix them up lightly. Next up, it’s the apple, hazelnuts and milk. Fold them in until they are thoroughly blended with the mixture.
- Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread evenly. Layer the streusel on top of the cake mixture and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Now’s your chance to lick the spoon if no one is looking! When the edge of the cake has shrunk from the tin, you know it’s ready. Take the cake out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes on a wire rack. With the spicy aroma wafting around the kitchen it may feel like forever.
- Serve up in handsome slices with copious warm custard.
