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    Happy Birthday To Me! Caramel Apple Torte From My Special Guest, Chef Dennis!!!

    Published: · Modified: by Kim Beaulieu · This post may contain affiliate links

    Caramel Apple Tarte by Chef Dennis

    Yah baby, you read that right. It's my birthday. Today is mah birthday! Your favourite Lunatic was born on January 20th, 19- *mumbles and covers her mouth* something or other. The day the world was rocked by my presence in it. Yup, no ego here folks. *grins from ear to ear*


    As you know I guest posted for the wonderful Dennis *foodie rock star* at A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis last month. I made eclairs for the first time evah! So good and shockingly easy. Or beginners luck I think. I made them a second time and they bombed big time. I mean they stank up the joint. It happens occasionally. Not often cuz I rock in the kitchen (true dat), but once in a blue moon something goes wrong. Anyhow long story...er...longer, while I had Chef Dennis under the power of my eclairs and he was not thinking clearly, I took full advantage of him and asked him to guest post here at the asylum. And not just any guest post or any recipe. I, having no personal regard for boundaries, asked Chef Dennis to bake me a birthday cake. Yup, that's how I roll folks. No fear folks, fear is for wussies! I was delighted when Dennis said yes. I am sure it had nothing to do with the sugar high. I've been so curious what my cake would be. I generally give my guests full rein here at the asylum. When I got the photos I was stunned. It's ah-mah-zing!!! Thank you so much Dennis, I am so touched and honoured you agreed to bake me a cake. Now without further ado, here is the man who puts the buzz in foodbuzz, the grace in gracious, and the apples in my slamming birthday cake!!! I give you *oh, ah, loud applause* the amazing Chef Dennis!

    I would like to welcome you all to Cravings of a Lunatic!  Today is a very special day; it’s my friend Kim’s Birthday!!   I was so honored when she asked me to do a guest post for her birthday post, and so happy that it fell on a time when I was able to do it.  For those of you that don’t know me, I’m chef Dennis and besides keeping my blog going, I have the privilege of feeding 560 of the best girls in the whole world, at Mount Saint Joseph Academy, in Flourtown Pa.

    As you can imagine I keep a busy schedule as a working chef / unit director / culinary Instructor….sigh, so when Kim told me the date , I was overjoyed to be able to guest post for her!  I have to tell you the first time I got an email from Kim, and the heading said Lunatic, I thought it was spam…..luckily I opened it, and got a very nice message from a new blogger.  Now every time I see the word Lunatic in the header it makes me smile!
    So at this time I would like to wish you a very happy birthday my friend, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do to help make our community stronger, for your friendship and your support……and since I knew it was your birthday, I baked you a cake!
    A few weeks ago I made a chocolate chip ricotta torte, and the cake itself was really delicious, so I thought I would give it a try with apples instead of ricotta and the results were amazing, especially with a little extra caramel drizzled over top, the only thing missing was the vanilla ice cream!   So if you do make it serve it up with a big scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream, Enjoy!
    Caramel Apple Torte

    Inspired by a recipe from “Cooking with Patty”

    Ingredients:
    Cake aka crust
    3 ½ cups flour
    ¾ cup sugar
    12 oz very cold butter sliced thinly
    2 ¼ tsp. baking powder
    2  large eggs
    3 Tbsp Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)
    Filling and Caramel Sauce
    6 medium apples (I used gala)
    ½ cup brown sugar
    2 oz butter
    2 oz heavy cream
    Instructions:
    1.      Peel the apples and cut into small slices or chunks, then set aside
    2.     In a sauté pan heat the sugar until it starts to brown, don’t stir the sugar, but try to keep it moving by rolling the pan around.
    3.     As the sugar melts and browns add the butter and mix it in using a wooden spoon. Add in the heavy cream, just be careful it doesn't splash up on you, mixing in the cold cream can be a bit tricky. Stir until smooth.
    4.     Add in the apples and allow to simmer for a bit, to get in some of the caramel flavor
    5.     Remove the apples from the caramel letting them drain a bit so they are not too wet, and allow to cool a bit.
    6.     In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients for the crust together, except the butter
    7.     Cut the butter into very thin slices and add it to the mixture working it in gently, you don’t want the butter to blend in, the mixture should be chunky.*
    8.     Press half of the mixture gently into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan that has been greased with butter and dusted with flour. (do not mash it down!)
    9.     Add the apples to the bottom layer and spread evenly.
    10.  spread the remaining crust mixture evenly on top of the apples
    11.  Bake in a preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes at 350° or until a toothpick stuck in comes out clean
    12.  The remaining caramel sauce will have thinned out from the juice in the apples, allow it to simmer and reduce until it has re-thickened.
    13.  Drizzle the torte with your caramel sauce and enjoy!
    14.  The Caramel Apple Torta is best served warm or at room temperature.
    Notes.
    * put the butter in the freezer for 20 or 30 minutes before slicing it.
    *you can press down the crust on top of the filling but be very gentle, the crust forms as the butter melts, giving the cake that rustic look.
    And that my friends is my Caramel Apple Torte, thanks for stopping by today and thank you Kim for allowing me to share your blog on this very special day,  Happy birthday!


    Thank you so much Chef Dennis. I am so happy with my cake and so grateful to call you my friend. You do so much to better the blogging community and we are lucky to have someone like you. Your integrity and class raise the bar for the rest of us. And speaking of class, if I could just drag you to the dark side and get you swear like a sailor when we finally meet in person I'll be one happy Lunatic.

    Okay Lunatic fans make sure you head over A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis and sufficiently stalk him. Dennis does a series called Ask Chef Dennis that will blow your mind. He shares information folks. About blogging. How cool is that? I know right! He's sweet, kind and supportive. This man can cook my friends. He always delivers, with decadent treats and meals that would make restaurants jealous.  It doesn't get much better folks. You can also find him on TWITTER, PINTEREST, GOOGLE +, and FACEBOOK. Tell him the Lunatic sent you over to stalk his a**!

    Now as a little bonus I am announcing a giveaway for my birthday. Please come back tomorrow evening to see what surprises I have in store for you. It's a birthdaypalooza here this weekend. Your going to  want to wear you best party hats for this folks. 3 days of birthday posts. First cake, then presents and then ice cream. Yup, we're rocking it Lunatic style. So get your streamers and sound those silly little horns. I want a partah! 
                                                                                        Courtesy and rights go to Youtube!

    Toodles and big birthday smoochies.xx
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rochelle Ramos

      Happy birthday, Kim! Chef Dennis did a fantastic job on making you a birthday cake that looks to be something I NEED to make in my own kitchen in the near future. Enjoy your special day and your special cake 🙂

      Reply

    2. Alida

      Happy Birthday Kim! What a lovely cake to celebrate your special day. It looks amazing. Nicely done Chef!

      Reply

    3. celiacasaurus.com

      Happy Birthday Kim!!!! I can't think of anyone better to make your Birthday Cake, and you deserve it. Have a day(or week, whatever...who's counting) full of indulgence and joy!
      xo, Christie

      Reply

    4. Sandra

      HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Best wishes from me to you!!!xoxo

      what a great guest post, and what a treat! You are rightt Chef Dennis is a food community rock star!
      Tasty looking torte..
      Wishing you both amazing day!!!

      Reply

    5. The Cookinglady

      I hope you had a great day. Your blog really rocks and it was so cool for chef to guest post for you. You guys rock

      Reply

    6. Wok with Ray

      Happy Birthday, Kim. Great job by Chef Dennis on this beautiful cake.

      Reply

    7. Suzi

      Happy Birthday Kim. How cool is that. Chef Dennis made you a cake, what a wonderful guest post. And what a gorgeous torte. Enjoy your xxsomething day.

      Reply

    8. Deanna

      Happy Birthday Kim! Looks like my kind of birthday cake.

      Reply

    9. Kim Bee

      Thanks Hester! xx

      Reply

    10. Kim Bee

      Thank you so much! xx

      Reply

    11. Kim Bee

      Thanks Ridwan. I am one lucky gal. xx

      Reply

    12. Kim Bee

      Thanks so much Ramona. Had a wonderful day and am one lucky gal to Chef Dennis here. xx

      Reply

    13. Kim Bee

      Lol! Thanks so much! xx

      Reply

    14. Kim Bee

      Thanks Carolyn!

      Reply

    15. Kim Bee

      Thanks Sandra. I know right! xx

      Reply

    16. Kim Bee

      Thank you so much! xx

      Reply

    17. Kim Bee

      Thank you so much Rochelle! xx

      Reply

    18. Kim Bee

      Thanks Alida! xx

      Reply

    19. Kim Bee

      Thank you so much. I am feeling pretty blessed these days. xx

      Reply

    20. Kim Bee

      Thanks Sandra! Mwuah! xx

      Reply

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