Apple Streusel Kuchen

From the blog For Love of the Table

(Apfel-streuselkuchen)

120 grams milk (1/2 c.), warmed to 105° to 115°

1 1/2 t. active dry yeast

55 grams unsalted butter (4 T.), room temperature

1 whole egg, room temperature

1 egg yolk, room temperature

250 grams all purpose flour (2 1/4 c.), divided

50 grams sugar (1/4 c.)

1/2 t. salt

1 recipe Apple Compote

1 recipe Simple Streusel

Place the warmed milk in the mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over; stir in. Add the butter, egg, yolk, half of the flour, sugar and salt. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until all the ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium-high (high if using a hand or old-fashioned double rotary electric mixer) and beat for 3 minutes. The batter will become lighter in color and will look smooth and creamy. Add the remaining flour and fold in just until the flour is absorbed. It is not necessary to beat the dough until it is smooth—it will look coarse and lumpy. Scrape the batter into a buttered bowl and use a spatula to turn to coat in the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight (or up to 24 hours).

When ready to bake, butter a 9- by 9-inch baking pan. Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured counter and press into a square shape. Using a rolling pin, roll out until it is 1/2-inch thick and measures 9- by 9-inches. Transfer to the prepared pan and pat out, making sure it is pressed evenly into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until doubled—about 45 minutes to an hour.

When the dough has risen, dimple deeply. Spread the apple compote evenly over the cake, coaxing some of the compote down into the holes created by the dimpling. Scatter the streusel evenly over all. Bake in a preheated 400° oven until the streusel is tinged with golden brown and the cake is springy, but firm, to the touch—about 25 to 30 minutes. An instant read thermometer plunged into the center of the cake will read about 185°.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack and let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and then invert so that it is streusel-side up. Serve warm. Makes 1 9-inch cake, serving 10 to 12.

Apple Compote

600 grams (about 3) Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into a 1/3-inch dice (you will have about 450 grams of prepared apples)

40 grams unsalted butter (3 T.)

100 grams sugar (1/2 c.)

1/2 t. cinnamon

Zest of 1 lemon

Melt the butter in a 12-inch sauté pan set over moderate heat. When the butter is melted, increase the heat to medium-high to high. When the foam subsides and the butter just begins to brown, add the apples. Sauté, tossing occasionally until the apples are golden, tender and any liquid released by the apples has evaporated. (While the apples cook, regulate the heat as necessary to keep them from burning.)

Add the sugar, cinnamon and zest. Toss and cook until the sugar melts and the apples are bubbling thickly—about a minute or two. Remove from the heat and cool. Cover and chill. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Simple Streusel

125 grams flour (1 c.)

100 grams sugar (1/2 c.)

85 grams butter (6 T.), melted

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and chill until cold. The streusel will solidify when chilled. Break it up a bit with a fork or your hands before using.

Notes & Variations:

Remove the compote and the streusel from the fridge when you pull the dough out of the fridge so that they can both come to room temperature prior to being spread over the risen cake.
This cake is best eaten warm, soon after it is baked. After that, cut the cake into portions, wrap individually and freeze. To reheat, remove a portion from the freezer and let thaw at room temperature (leave the wrapping on the cake)—this will only take an hour or so, but if I want a slice of this cake for breakfast, I set it on the counter before I go to bed. Unwrap the cake, place in the center of a square of lightly buttered foil and fold the foil around the cake, sealing tightly. Place in a warm (300° to 350°) oven for five minutes. Unwrap and serve warm.
My mother’s version of the cake was called a “German Cinnamon Coffee Cake”. Her recipe was from the December 1973 issue of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine. To make this cake, omit the apple compote and streusel. When the cake is fully risen, dimple evenly and deeply and pour a mixture of 2/3 c. (135 g.) packed brown sugar, 1/3 c. (80 g.) heavy cream and 3/4 t. cinnamon over the top, making sure all of the dimples are filled and spreading evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out. Turn right side up and serve warm.
My recipe for the “cake” portion of this kuchen is a combination of the one my mother made and one from the blog “That Skinny Chick Can Bake”. http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2013/05/apple-kuchen-or-apfelkuchentwelveloaves.html
Substitute 1 1/2 cups of any favorite thick fruit compote over the risen cake in place of the apple compote.

http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2015/02/yeasted-apple-streusel-coffee-cake.html

As published on forloveofthetable.com