Recipe | Apple & Cinnamon Rose Cake

Pretty as the flower, this tastes and smells like autumn. An extra pat on the back for hand-picked apples.

Serves 8-12

For the apple topping:
50g unsalted butter
4 tbsp soft brown sugar
4 apples, washed, cored and finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon

For the cake:
280g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
100g unsalted butter at room temp
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
100ml milk
1 apple, washed, cored and grated
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus ¼ tsp to sprinkle on the top~
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp sieved icing sugar to decorate

1 Start by making the topping. In a large saucepan, heat the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, stirring until melted. Add the apple slices and the lemon juice, and heat for a few minutes until the apple slices start to soften. Set aside.

2Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5 and grease a 25cm cake tin.

3 In a large bowl, stir together the flour, a pinch of salt and the baking powder.

4 In a stand mixer, whisk 100g butter and the caster sugar until blended. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and lemon zest, and continue mixing until the mixture is smooth. Add the milk and blend until combined.

5 Add the dry ingredients slowly to the mixer on a slow speed. Stir the grated apple into the mixture along with the cinnamon before adding to the greased cake tin. Tap the tin to

level the mixture.

6 Take your bowl of preprepared apple slices and lay them in an overlapping circle on top of the mixture, with the sliced edge facing down into the batter. Sieve a ¼ tsp of ground cinnamon on top.

7 Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes. Test it is baked by putting a metal skewer into the middle; it should come out clean. Grate the nutmeg over the cake and sieve the icing sugar on top too.

This recipe is taken from our feature ‘Life is Brewtiful’ from our October issue, a menu designed for an autumnal late afternoon tea. It also includes recipes for Ginger Fizz, Pear & Cheese Toasties, Smoked Fish & Kale Quiche, Parmesan & Chive Savoury Scones, Spiced Autumn Tea and Spiced Biscuits. The recipes are devised and styled by Kay Prestney and photographed by Rebecca Lewis.

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Recipe | Bobbing Apples Cake

An excellent cake for October, or any time really. Good warm or cold

Serves 10-12

150g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
3-4 large dessert apples
1 lemon, finely grated zest and 2 tbsp juice
150g golden caster sugar, plus 4 tsp
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
300ml soured cream
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
150ml double cream
2 tbsp Calvados

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/ Gas 4. Butter a 23cm springform cake tin.

2 Use a melon baller to make rounds of apple (keep the skin on). Aim for 36 balls.

3 Mix the lemon juice with 3 tsp of caster sugar; stir through the apple balls. Set aside.

4 Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla extract and 200ml soured cream.

5 Fold in the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and the lemon zest. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and push the apple balls into the cake mix, skin-side up. Bake for 50 mins until firm to the touch.

6 As soon as the cake is out of the oven, sprinkle over 1 tsp of caster sugar. Leave to cool for 15 mins then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

7 Whip the double cream to soft peaks, then whisk in the remaining soured cream and Calvados. Serve the slices of cool or warmed cake with the Calvados cream.

Cook’s note: If you don’t have a melon baller, you can cut the apple into chunks. You can also add a little ground cinnamon to the cake mixture if you like. If you don’t have Calvados, you could mix the cream with elderflower cordial instead.

Taken from the Four Seasons cookbook, a collection of recipes that champion British ingredients and reflect the influence of the seasons. By Emily Davenport, Kathryn Hawkins, Clare Lewis and Wendy Veale. Photography by Steve Lee. Available from dairydiary.co.uk

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Recipe | Apple Cake Bake

Cake to round off a woodland wander

Cuts into 16 squares

2 sweet apples (we used Gala), peeled, cored and cut into rings
Juice of half a lemon
250g butter
250g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder

For the topping:
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp chopped roasted hazelnuts

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6 and line a 20x20cm tin with baking paper.

2 Prepare the apples by squeezing over the lemon juice and setting aside.

3 Add all the ingredients for the topping to a small bowl, mix together and set aside.

4 Meanwhile, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light, then add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next.

5 Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, flour and baking powder, and mix until you have a smooth batter.

6 Pour half the batter into the tin and push it into the corners with a spatula. Add half the apple rings in a single layer, then cover with the remaining batter and add a final layer of apples. Sprinkle over the topping mixture and bake on the middle shelf for 45-50mins, or until the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean.

7 Allow to cool for 5 mins in the tin before removing and cutting into squares. Wrap up individual squares to serve up before leaving for the woods.

The apple cake bake is just one of the recipes in our ‘Gathering’ feature from our March issue. It’s a menu for a woodland picnic that we’ve called ‘Down with the Daffodils’ and includes recipes for Trail Mix, Sweet Potato, Ginger and Coconut Soup, Easy Loaf, Chorizo Chilli and Speedy Jacket Potatoes, with Mint Mochas and Peanut Butter Hot Chocolates to wash it down.

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Primer | Know Your Apples

Whether browsing at a market or selecting from an orchard, apple ID is essential. Here’s our field (well, orchard) guide to the best of the crop

George Cave
What George lacks in aroma he makes up for in intensity: a crisp, sharp bite gives way to a gently sweet mouthful, not overly juicy.

Grenadier
The gnarled, knobbled skin may give this cooking apple a battle-weary appearance, but beneath the rugged armour there’s a yielding, creamy flesh, ideal for sauces and chutneys.

D’arcy Spice
The ultimate coleslaw/cheeseboard apple offers firm, crisp flesh gently infused with subtle, sophisticated undertones of star anise, clove and white pepper.

Howgate Wonder
Sweet, firm and only mildly acidic, this waxy-fleshed, blushing beauty keeps well, cooks well and makes a proper pie.

James Grieve
Take a bite of this crisp, juicy beauty fresh off the tree in late July and the acidic overtones may induce a wince. Allow James to mellow until at least September, however, and he offers an altogether softer, creamier mouthful.

Chelmsford Wonder
Softish flesh reminiscent of macadamia nuts yields distinctly Chardonnay-esque flavours, sophisticated only gently acidic.

Lane’s Prince Albert
A winter-season treat, offering substantial character that brings real personality to a crumble and delivers complexity to chutney.

Margil
Widely acclaimed by apple connoisseurs for its firm, crisp bite and highly aromatic, candyfloss overtones – to cook with the Margil would be a crime.

Pam’s Delight
This red-tinged beauty is a lunchbox classic, juicy enough to quench thirst and sweet enough to curb sugar cravings.

Beauty of Bath
Blink as this one falls from the tree and you’ll miss the best bite of this soft, sensual beauty featuring pink-tinged, creamy flesh with an almost strawberry flavour.

Peasgood’s Nonsuch
This big, sturdy stalwart delivers a densely characterful flavour-punch, good teamed with cheddar cheese or cooked in a pie.

Apple Day is celebrated on 21st October but there are apple-related events all over the country this weekend. The primer above is taken from our feature, The Apples of Our Eye in our October issue, which is on sale now. It was originally published in the first ever issue of The Simple Things and we’ve reprinted it to make our 10th birthday! Because simple things like apple picking never cease to be good fun!

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Recipe | Rye & Apple Parkin

As autumnal as piles of red leaves, this Rye & Apple Parkin is as good enjoyed with a cuppa by the fire as it is with a Thermos

Makes 12 slices

100g oatmeal or rolled oats
200g rye flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate soda
Pinch of salt
200g unsalted butter
200g apple sauce
150g treacle
2 eggs, beaten

1 Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/ Gas 3, then line a 22cm baking tin with baking paper.

2 If using rolled oats, give them a short blitz in a food processor, until it resembles a coarse flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, rye, spices, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.

3 In a small saucepan over a gentle heat, melt the butter, apple sauce and treacle together. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

4 Add the cooled sauce to the dry ingredients and mix together. Add the beaten eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.

5 Tip the mixture into the lined baking tin, spread into an even layer and bake in the centre of the oven for 45 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.

This parkin features alongside other portable snacks for an autumn woodland walk: cauliflower & cannellini bean soup and parmesan & chilli biscotti. Plus: how to make a good coffee in the wild and the best way to whittle a whistle. See what you can learn if you read the new November issue!

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Recipe | French apple tart

An orchard pudding with a bit of ooh la la!

This buttery French tart is a lovely way to round off an early autumn meal but a cold slice is also excellent with your morning coffee the following day.

Serves 6

1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
2 tbsp plum jam (use greengage, apricot or rhubarb jam if you prefer)
5 small apples of your choice, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Double cream, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5. Line a baking tray with greaseproof parchment.
2 Put the pastry on the lined baking tray and, using a round-bladed knife, gently score a 2-3cm border around French apple tart Buttery pastry, sweet jam and fresh apples combine to create a classic dessert or teatime treat the edge – this will help to keep the sticky cooking juices from escaping. Inside the border, prick the pastry all over with a fork, then spread over a very thin layer of jam.
3 In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with the lemon juice and sugar. Arrange the slices in overlapping rows over the pastry, then sprinkle with the cinnamon.
4 Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 mins until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and, while still warm, slide the tart from the greaseproof paper to a serving plate.
5 In a small saucepan, gently heat the remaining jam with a splash of water, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over the apples, then set the tart aside to cool.
6 Slice and serve with a jug of cream on the side.

This recipe is part of our Autumn Picnic gathering feature in our September issue., with recipes by Kay Prestney, including apple and parsnip soup, orchard salad, and pork and apple rissoles.

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Clever tips for tricky apples

How not to be beaten by bobbing or tricked by a toffee apple this season

We love an apple, but they’ve been causing trouble for millennia, what with tempting innocent folk going about their business in the garden of Eden, causing discord among Greek Gods and all sorts of trouble in Norse legend, too. 

And even today, if you’ve ever tried bobbing for apples or munching on a toffee apple at this time of year you’ll know they can be tricky customers. Here’s The Simple Things’ guide to getting one over on apples this autumn.

How to eat a toffee apple

Here’s how to avoid a very sticky face, sugar in one’s hair and the risk of dropping your toffee apple on the floor and it rolling into the bonfire…. 

Etiquette dictates that one should cut a toffee apple into slices and, indeed, this is the way to eat one if you wish to eliminate all the above risks. Take a sharp knife and a plate and simply slice the apple and remove the core as you would any ordinary (non-toffeed) apple and eat it in bite-sized slices.

The Simple Things method: Open your mouth as wide as possible and take a huge bite at the first pass, showering yourself with shards of sugar, getting sticky bits in your hair and dicing with a trip to the dentist. Because where is the fun, and what on earth is the point otherwise, we ask you.

How to succeed at apple bobbing

Any activity that involves getting wet, probably outside, at the end of October should be undertaken in a wetsuit really. But assuming you’re going to wing it in civvies (or a Halloween costume) here’s how the pros think you should proceed.

Don’t just randomly grab at apples with your mouth. You’ll get very wet. You need to think strategically here and go for one of two methods. Either look for an apple floating right way up with a prominent stalk and try to catch the stalk between your teeth (don’t bother with this method if you have a significant overbite), or pick an apple you’re going for and push it up against the side of the bowl using the bowl as leverage in order to sink your teeth into the apple.

The Simple Things method: Come dressed as a witch in a black bin liner, so the top half of your body is essentially waterproof. Don a swimming cap and nose clip. Take a deep breath and plunge your head into the water, using the bottom of the bowl to push against to get your teeth into the apple. Remove swimming cap and witch bin liner and emerge victorious. 

If you’re making your own toffee apples for Halloween (or just because) you might like to try the recipe for the toffee apples on twigs (above) from Apple by James Rich (Hardie Grant). You can find the recipe on p71 of our October Create issue or buy it in the link below.

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More from our October issue…

More apple activities…

How to hold a Wassail

Singing to apple trees to encourage a bountiful harvest is making a comeback. Look out for a wassail in an orchard or allotment near you

For many of us, Twelfth Night signifies little more than the deadline for taking down the Christmas decorations. For others, however, it’s an occasion to pull on the wellies, head out into the cold and wake the fruit trees from their winter slumber through songs, offerings and some cider-fuelled revelry. In orchards and allotments across the country, the ancient tradition of wassailing is making an unexpected comeback.

Hold your own wassail

Traditionally, the wassail takes place on Twelfth Night – either 5, 6 or 17* January, but modern versions can take place at any point between these dates.

A back garden can work just as well as an orchard. 

Torches, wellies and warm coats are a must.

Involve the kids. Deck them out with face paint, feathers and foliage and they can lead the parade as the wassail King or Queen. 

Ensure there’s a generous supply of mulled cider as well as juice for little ones, and encourage participants to bring snacks, such as home-baked apple muffins, to share with the group. 

Drive out evil spirits by banging pots and pans together before serenading the tree with a wassail song.

* 17 January is Twelfth Night, or ‘Old Twelvey’, following the pre-Gregorian calendar.

More on Wassails in the January issue - turn to page 116.

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Recipe: Crab apple & fennel seed leather

Nature’s bounty is all around us; in the woods, fields, moors and sea. Gill Miller serves up some culinary inspiration to help enjoy the best of it

Recipe: Crab apple & fennel seed leather

This is preserving at its simplest. You dry the fruit purée until there is no moisture left, intensifying every single element of flavour. With the bite of sweet fennel seeds, the resulting crab-apple leather is insanely good.

Makes 2 sheets
1kg crab apples, stalks removed and roughly chopped
2 tbsp runny honey
2 tsp fennel seeds

1 Cook the crab apples with a splash of water in a large, heavy-based pan set over a gentle heat. Stirring regularly, cook for 45–60 minutes until the crab apples are very soft and broken down (if the fruit isn’t really pulpy, continue to cook until it is). Add more water if at any point the pan looks dry.
2 Remove from the heat and push the pulp through a mouli with a fine gauge into a clean bowl. (If you don’t have a mouli, you can rub the mixture through a sieve.) Add the honey, then the fennel seeds and stir well to combine. Taste for sweetness, adding more honey if you need to.
3 Heat the oven to low – around 60C/ Fan 40C/140F is good. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Divide the mixture equally between the two baking sheets, smoothing it out as evenly and as thinly as you can.
4 Place the baking sheets in the oven for 12–14 hours until the thin layers of pulp are completely dry, even at the centre. Remove from the oven and allow the trays to cool.
5 Lay out two clean pieces of baking parchment, each slightly longer and wider than the pieces of leather. Peel each leather off the baking sheet and lay it onto a prepared piece of clean parchment. Take one end of the first piece of clean parchment and roll it up with the leather inside. Repeat for the other piece of parchment and leather. The leather will keep in an airtight container for 4–5 months.

Turn to page 38 of November’s The Simple Things for more recipes from the land by Gill Miller, including Barley, squash and mushrooms with herb and crème fraîche dressing, Malted wheat loaf, Rabbit with pappardelle, Salted pollock with potatoes, cream and marjoram, and Cobnut, prune & chocolate tart.

Gill Meller is head chef at River Cottage and a food writer, and teaches at the cookery school. He lives in Dorset with his family. This recipe is taken from Gill’s first book, Gather (Quadrille), which is out now.
 

More from the November issue:

More apple posts:

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Recipe: Apple 'doughnuts'

OK, so these aren’t real doughnuts, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how delicious (and addictive) they are, despite being far healthier than their sugary namesakes. Kids will love making and eating them – so why not turn it into a game and see who can be the most creative? Great for using up your apple harvest, the doughnuts make a fun breakfast or healthy snack at any time of day. 

MAKES 12

300g full-fat cream cheese
100g peanut, almond or cashew nut butter
2 tbsp fruit purée or coulis
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
2 large apples, either red or green or 1 of each
3 tbsp chocolate spread or toffee sauce (optional)
75g mixture of your chosen toppings (see below)

TOPPINGS:

dried fruit, eg golden raisins, cranberries, dried apricots or goji berries
nuts, eg hazelnuts, pecans, almonds or pistachios
seeds, eg pumpkin, sunflower,
toasted sesame or linseeds roasted nut and seed mix toasted coconut flakes
bee pollen
edible flowers

ESSENTIAL KIT:

apple corer

1 Line a tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside.
2 Divide the cream cheese between two small bowls. Mix the nut butter into one and the fruit purée or coulis into the other. Stir 1⁄2 tsp of syrup or honey into each bowl. Cover and set aside. Can be made a day in advance.
3 Use the apple corer to remove the cores. Cut each apple into six even-sized slices (including the ends) and lay them flat on the prepared tray, ends cut side up.
4 Spread the nutty cream cheese over six slices and the fruity one over the other six, leaving the hole clear. Use your toppings to decorate the apple doughnuts as you like. You can also chop your toppings into smaller pieces if you prefer. Either arrange them on top of the apple slices or press the creamy side down onto the toppings to stick.
5 As a further flourish, drizzle chocolate spread or toffee sauce over the apple doughnuts, if you like. To loosen the sauce for drizzling, spoon it into a small bowl and sit the bowl in another bowl of just-boiled water. Give it a good stir once it starts to melt.

These can be made up to a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Serve on a tiered stand or layered between small squares of baking paper in a nice box.

For a twist...

• Use chocolate spread instead of nut butter, or jam instead of fruit purée.
• Decorate the tops with cake sprinkles for a treat.

Recipe from The No-Cook Cookbook by Sharon Hearne-Smith (Quercus) 

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Recipe: Barbecue baked apples

This is a super-simple way to cook. Local apples are everywhere now, and are an easy but delicious dessert for campers.

BBQ Baked Apples

You’ll need a lidded barbecue to make this delicious apple dessert. Or it can be cooked in the embers of a campfire. 

Serves 4

4 eating apples
1 large knob of butter
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a handful each of sultanas and chopped nuts
2 tsp demerara sugar
a splash of booze if there’s some around (rum, brandy, cider but – NOT beer or wine!)

1Core the apples, leaving the bottom 2cm in if possible. If that’s too hard, take the whole core out, cut the bottom 2cm off the core and plug it back into the bottom of the apple. This is to stop all the melted butter flowing out later.

2Score a line around the centre of the apple.

3Put the butter, light brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Mix in the nuts and sultanas. Use your hands if it’s easier to blend it all up into a lumpy paste.

4Push some of the mixture into each apple until it’s all used up.

5Place each apple on the centre of a large double-thickness square of foil. Sprinkle a little demerara sugar and some rum or brandy (if using) over the top, then wrap each apple up tight in its own square of foil.

6Put the foil parcels on your barbecue away from the direct heat and close the lid. You’ll need to rotate the apples occasionally to enable them to cook evenly.

7They will take about 20 minutes to cook and go soft enough to eat (you don’t want them mushy), but this will depend on the size of apples and your heat source, so keep an eye on them. Serve with cream or plain yoghurt.

Recipe from Pitch Up, Eat Local by Ali Ray (AA Publishing with The Camping and Caravanning Club). 

Turn to page 72 of September's The Simple Things for Under Canvas, highlighting secluded, riverside camping pitches. On sale 29 August 2015.

Read more camping posts from The Simple Things...

• Recipes: The Picnic Loaf, Sunshine Hash, Campfire Beef & Beans
• How to pitch a tent like a pro
• Britain's best wild camping spots

September's The Simple Things is on sale today - buy, download or subscribe now.