Featured Recipe
Upside-Down Apple Tart with Salted Caramel Drizzle
By Kate
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A twist on the classic apple upside-down cake with reduced butter, replaced milk with almond milk for subtle nuttiness, and swapped granulated sugar for coconut sugar. Brown sugar for topping replaced by chopped pecans. Baked slightly longer than usual. Caramel sauce infused with sea salt and a hint of bourbon, reducing cream amount for a thicker finish. Apples grated not sliced for moisture and texture. A balance of sweet, nutty, and savory notes. Textures from tender cake, crunchy nuts, and syrupy caramel sauce.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
dessert
tart
apple
caramel
baking
French
Introduction
Butter softened, sugar gritty and nuts roasted. Apples grated, not sliced—I like the moisture boost, the chew. Old loaf pans often too small or dry; tube pan traps steam better. Swap cow’s milk for almond, adds depth I like. Coconut sugar replaces brown, a caramel hint upfront. Pecans bring softer crunch, lifted from traditional almonds. Caramel liquor hit slightly boozy; it’s a little surprise cut by sea salt flakes. Mix components in stages, little fuss but patience—don’t rush caramel stage or cake bake, both fragile. Turned upside-down cakes, old-fashioned but reliable. Sweet, crisp, sticky, nutty. No fancy plating. All about texture contrast and a syrup finish.
Ingredients
Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce
- 100 ml (just under 1/2 cup) warm water
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream, chilled
- 5 ml (1 tsp) bourbon whiskey
- pinch flaky sea salt
About the ingredients
Halve butter amount slightly and swap half sugar types to shift sweetness without losing richness. Almond milk stands in for dairy milk—a mild nutty note but moisture stays. Pecans toasted quick on a dry pan; fresher, buttery than store roasted sometimes. Coconut sugar digs earthier aromas than packed brown sugar. Bourbon toppings optional but worth the kick, sea salt flakes essential; coarse over fine for bursts of salt. Grated apples offer more moisture to soften crumb, not mush because flour and baking powder hold structure. Cream slightly reduced in caramel to avoid runny sauce. Use tube pan or deep round for even heat, easier clean-up too.
Method
Cake Preparation
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Mix half the softened butter with coconut sugar. Spread evenly on bottom of a greased 20 cm (8 in) tube pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans over butter mixture.
- In a separate bowl, beat remaining butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until the batter turns smooth and pale.
- Fold in grated apples until combined.
- Sift flour and baking powder into mixture. Alternate adding flour mixture and almond milk, starting and ending with flour. Mix till just combined; don’t overbeat.
- Pour batter gently over nut layer in pan. Tap pan on counter to level batter.
- Bake in center of oven about 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking.
- Remove from oven. Let cool about 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto serving plate. Set aside while making caramel sauce.
- In heavy-bottom saucepan, combine brown sugar and half the warm water over medium heat.
- Bring to boil without stirring. Let caramelize until deep amber color, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Remove from heat. Carefully add remaining warm water, stir to dissolve caramel.
- Whisk in chilled cream slowly, returning pot to low heat. Add bourbon and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Simmer gently 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Cool slightly before drizzling over cake. Serve warm or room temperature.
Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Technique Tips
Butter and sugar bases split between topping and batter to avoid dense, greasy results. Nuts layer first to float and brown beneath cake during bake. Beat eggs well before apple fold for rise but don’t overmix flour or texture sags. Heat caramel slowly; watch darkening phase closely or bitterness creeps in. Adding water off-heat stops cooking waves. Cream temp important—too hot scrambles caramel. Simmer caramel briefly after cream then fold in bourbon and salt off heat to retain flavor balance. Cool caramel until just warm for pouring; hot caramel risks soaking cake too much. Rest cake 10 before inverting to avoid fractures. Caramel sauce ladled over generous. Serve slices with sauce on side or dripping for sticky experience.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Butter's key, softened but not melted. Sugar mix spread in pan. Think layers. The nuts on top, crunch contrasts moist base. Really focus on technique.
- 💡 Grated apples are crucial. Adds moisture. Don’t slice. Careful with mixing flour and milk. Start with flour, end with milk. Mix just enough to blend, no more.
- 💡 Watch that caramel. Bring sugar and water to boil, no stirring. Low heat, gentle simmer after adding cream. Bourbon for complexity—only a splash. Flaky salt is a must.
- 💡 Use a tube pan for best steam trapping. Bake it until nearly done. Toothpick test, clean crumbs mean success. Then cool for 10 mins before flipping.
- 💡 Keep caramel warm, lighter texture achieved. Overcooking = bitterness. Watch it closely at darkening stage. Cream temp matters. Too hot, scrambled sauce.
Kitchen Wisdom
Can I use different apples?
Sure, but choose firm types. They hold shape, cook well. Granny Smith adds tartness, sweeter options lose bite. Experiment.
What if my caramel hardens?
Reheat gently, low heat. Add a tiny bit of water to loosen. Mix until smooth again. Don't rush—keep patience.
How long does it last?
Store in fridge, covered for 3-4 days. Reheat for best texture. But really, fresh is best. The flavors shine.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Use alternative flours. Almond flour or gluten-free blends can work. Adjust ratios, moisture might vary. Test and tweak.
