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Apple Crumble Cakes with Chestnuts

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Apple Crumble Cakes with Chestnuts

  • make ahead MAKE-AHEAD
  • staff favorite STAFF FAVORITE
ACTIVE TIME: 25 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 55 MIN
SERVES: 8

This recipe is based on an American-style streusel-topped coffee cake. Han Feng gives this homey dessert a Chinese twist by adding roasted chestnuts. She bakes the cakes in oversize teacups, but ramekins are perfect substitutes.

ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples—peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 cup roasted chestnuts, quartered
  • Sesame or vanilla ice cream
directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Place eight 8-ounce ramekins on a large rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, toss the walnuts with the light brown sugar and cinnamon.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a large bowl, blend the butter with the turbinado sugar, dark brown sugar and eggs. Gently stir in the flour mixture and buttermilk until blended, then fold in the apples and chestnuts.
  3. Spoon the batter into the ramekins and sprinkle the walnut mixture on top. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the topping is browned and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve with a scoop of ice cream.
WINE Alois Kracher of Austria, one of the world's greatest sweet-wine producers, created the bottlings that Han Feng chose to pair with these delicious cakes. Kracher's 2002 Chardonnay Trockenbeerenauslese Number 7 Nouvelle Vague suggests dried apricots, honey and caramel; or try Napa-based Peju Winery's apple blossom–scented 2002 Liana Late Harvest Chardonnay.

Recipe by Han Feng
From The Toast of China
This recipe originally appeared in October, 2006.