Opinion – Recipes from Marcão: Cake in a pot that doesn’t go in the oven is a typical Danish recipe

The name of today’s recipe is äblekage, but you can call it cake in the pot. A cake in the pot that doesn’t even need to go in the oven. But it’s not just any cake in a pot. He’s Danish.

Denmark, which plays in the Cup in the group of France, Tunisia and Australia, is today a huge reference in gastronomy. In Copenhagen are Geranium — the most recent champion of the 50 Best Restaurants ranking — and Noma, which won the vote so many times that it was ranked as hors-concours.

But Danish cuisine is not just a gourmet, fancy and expensive restaurant. The country has a strong tradition of hearty peasant food, with elements common to neighbors such as Germany and Sweden. It is a cuisine of the cold, based on preserves, sausages, game meats, wild fruits and potatoes, lots of potatoes.

Today, exceptionally, the highlight goes to the confectionery. Denmark is famous for the quality of its dairy products, which turn into creams, ganaches and other sweet treats.

So let’s go to the äblekage. Literally, äblekage means “apple cake”, but it’s a very easy dessert to make: layers of applesauce interspersed with a “crumble” of bread and caramel, all topped with whipped cream and served chilled in a glass.

A cake in the pot, in short. Or pavé (I’ll spare you the jokes).

The apple must be very acidic. I like the green ones, especially the granny smith variety. For sweet bread crumbs, Danish recipes call for vanilla beans, but a good essence will do.

Or even some oak-aged beverage, such as cachaça or whiskey — the alcohol evaporates and the aroma of the wood remains, which is very reminiscent of vanilla. If using artificial aroma, I prefer to go without.

Finally, the cream. I don’t have the patience to whip cream, especially in the minimum amount that this recipe requires. I used cream, a thicker cream, which is not always easy to find in big cities.

Äblekage

Yield: 2 servings

Difficulty: easy

INGREDIENTS

For the apple puree

1 green apple, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons of sugar

200 ml of water

for the sweet farofa

1 bread (50 g) stale

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

for finalization

whipped cream or cream

Sweet farofa, chopped sweet biscuit or berries

PREPARATION

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, cook the apple with water and sugar until the fruit has dissolved into a puree. Reserve.
2. Crumble the bread with your hands. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the crumbs and sugar and stir until the bread is golden. Turn off and let cool.
3. In pots or glasses, alternate layers of farofa and applesauce. Finish with whipped cream (or cream) and garnish with more farofa (or chopped cookies or fruit).
4. Let it chill for two hours before serving.