The Irish Spirit combines the Emerald Isle's favorite recipes with a touch of ale, stout, cider, or whiskey, creating terrific new flavor combinations. Whether scallops and shrimp are poached in single-malt whiskey, tender brisket is simmered in ale and topped with a golden cheese cobbler, or old-time pineapple upside-down cake is updated with a buttery, toffee liqueur topping, each recipe is enhanced by Ireland's famous spirits.
This three-part dessert, from a collection of cider-influenced recipes from Belfast chefs Jeanne and Paul Rankin, starts with roasted apples and ends with a luscious caramel cream topping. In between is a chunky, old-fashioned apple-butter cake, one of the most popular cakes in Irish cookery.
Serves 8 to 10
FOR THE ROASTED APPLES:
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
Juice of 2 lemons
2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter
FOR THE CAKE:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
1/4 cup Irish cider
FOR THE TOFFEE SAUCE:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
To make the roasted apples: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a large casserole dish. Cut the apple quarters into 2 to 3 wedges each and place in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and sugar, and dot with the butter.
Bake, turning frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, Remove from the oven, drain off the juices, and set the apples aside to cool. Maintain the oven temperature.
To make the cake: Butter a 9- or 10-inch springform pan and sprinkle the bottom with the almonds.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth. With a wooden spoon, fold in the dry ingredients, the vanilla, sour cream or creme fraiche, and cider.
Starting in the center, decoratively arrange half of the apples in the bottom of the prepared pan. Roughly chop the remaining apples and stir into the cake batter.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 70 to 80 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release the sides of the pan, invert the cake onto a plate, and remove the base.
To make the toffee sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir in the lemon juice. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to turn a light caramel color. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream.
To serve, cut the cake into slices and drizzle with the toffee sauce.
