Caramel Apple Torte

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

Comments

Emily Lynne {The Best of this Life}

January 21, 2012 at 2:18 pm

Happy Birthday Kim!!! Hope you have a FABULOUS day!! Lovely guest post by Chef Dennis on your special day 🙂

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 2:24 pm

Thank you so much. I love to rock. xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 2:24 pm

Thanks so much.xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Lol, thank you!xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Thank you so much!xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Thank you!xx

Lizzy

January 21, 2012 at 2:27 pm

I think I'm going to ask Dennis to bake MY birthday cake!!! Who wouldn't love this torte???? Happy, happy belated birthday, my friend...wish I was closer to the Canadian border this weekend, and I would have invaded and said happy b-day in person!

Dara

January 21, 2012 at 2:47 pm

Happy Birthday Kim!!!! I wish you a wonderful and delicious year. You are a true kitchen rock star. But I can't believe you got Chef Dennis to bake you a cake! He is like the Beatles of food blogging. You never cease to amaze me.

Jen at The Three Little Piglets

January 21, 2012 at 4:46 pm

Happy Birthday Kim!!!! You don't look a day older than 21! Not that I've ever seen you, but I'm totally sure of it!! And Chef, does that mean you're available? Cause, my birthday is November 21 if you want to slap it on your calendar now so you'll have plenty of time to prepare...

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 5:42 pm

I think I may have started something here. Poor Dennis is going to have oodles of cake requests by days end. Lol! Thanks Lizzy. I know you were busy with other things and wasn't sure how close to us you were. If you're ever down this way again let me know. I don't even mind driving up an hour or two to meet you next time. Would be so cool to meet in person and have lunch or dinner. And if you cross the border I'll cook for you. xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Thanks Dara. I had a great birthday. Lots of fun. Ann even sang me happy birthday on the phone. Lol! He must have been under the spell of my eclairs. I am so excited he did this. xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 5:44 pm

Thanks Jen! Lol, thanks. I'll take the compliment and run with it.

Kristen

January 21, 2012 at 5:46 pm

Happy Birthday!! I hope you had a wonderful day.

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 6:25 pm

Thanks Kristen. I had a blast yesterday. Did not cook one single thing. Which was sort of hard for me but was good too. Lol!

Nicole

January 21, 2012 at 8:12 pm

Hope your birthday was fabulous. That torte looks absolutely, undeniably, mouth-wateringly incredible. Great guest post!!

Ruth Reynoso-Sance

January 21, 2012 at 8:59 pm

Happy Birthday! (belated), I hope you had a wonderful day! With a cake like this who woudn't?

janet@fromcupcakestocaviar

January 21, 2012 at 9:52 pm

Waitaminnit!!!! I missed your birthday!!? Awwww *kicks dirt and pouts* I'm sorry! I leave for a couple of days and miss everything. I hope you had a wonderful birthday, twin and got lots of great presents, tons of hugs and rainbows and unicorn farts... and a Coke. 😀

Chef Dennis, this looks wonderful! Will you come to my house and make it for my birthday? I can pretend it's my birthday sayyyyyy... right this exact second 😀

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Thank you so much Nicole.xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 10:24 pm

Thanks so much Ruth. I had a lovely day. So happy Dennis agreed to do this for me.xx

Kim Bee

January 21, 2012 at 10:27 pm

Roflmao..unicorn farts was exactly what was on my wish list, how did you know? I had a great day. I went out for lunch with a friend, had a great fish dinner. Then hubs went into the city for Swiss Chalet which is the most slamming chicken on the planet. I also got a black forest cake. And candy. Lucky gal. No coke though. I vowed to avoid the hospital this year. *stifles a giggle*

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