Toffee apple
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour 30
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the toffee sauce
235ml double cream
180ml whole milk
60g soft brown sugar
30g unsalted butter
½ tsp sea salt
For the sponge
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
160ml water
140g unsalted butter
260g caster sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Seeds of ½ vanilla pod
½ tsp salt
4 eggs
190g plain flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
For the caramel & cider sugar syrup
65g caster sugar
55ml warm apple cider
½ vanilla pod, split & seeds scraped
For the caramel glaze
120ml caramel & cider sugar syrup
175ml apple cider
175ml cream
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
For the poached Granny Smith apples
4 Granny Smith apples
Juice 1 lemon
200g caramel glaze
For the walnut toffee
55g caster sugar
25g light brown sugar
30g unsalted butter
20g liquid glucose
10g milk powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp water
25g walnuts
For the caramel gel
225g caster sugar
½ vanilla pod, split & seeds scraped
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp agar agar
60ml double cream
For the garnish
Apple blossom
METHOD
1. For the toffee sauce, add all the ingredients into a heavy-based pan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the mixture has reduced significantly and turned
into a sticky toffee coloured sauce. Pass through a fine sieve, line the top with cling film so as
not to form a skin and set aside until needed.
2. For the sponge, combine the water and bicarbonate of soda in a pan and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool until just warm. In a kitchen aid bowl, mix together
the sugar and butter and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the zest, vanilla and salt and mix
through. Add the eggs one at a time making sure each is fully incorporated before the next.
Sieve the flour and baking powder into a clean bowl and then add of this dry mix into the
butter and egg mix. Once fully incorporated, gently pour the bicarb and water mix and
continue to beat until mixed through. Finally add the remaining flour and beat until
combined. Pour into a lined square tin (approximately 20cm x 20cm) and bake into the oven
at 175˚C for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes
before removing and placing on a cooling rack. Once cool trim the edges and portion into
rectangles 1”x2”. Decrease the oven temperature to 135˚C keeping the rectangles on the
wire rack dry out for 5 minutes. Remove and cover each portion with 1 tbsp of toffee sauce
mixture and then place back in to bake for 5 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
3. For the caramel & cider sugar syrup, place 45g of the sugar in a pan and cook to a dark
caramel. Add the cider and bring to the boil until all the caramel has dissolved back into the
liquid. Add the remaining sugar and vanilla pod & seeds and bring the to the boil once more
until all the sugar has dissolved. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Pass
through a fine sieve.
4. For the caramel glaze, combine all the ingredients together in a pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer, whisky frequently until the mixture is thick and sticky. Keep warm
5. For the poached Granny smith apples, peel the apples and using a parisienne scoop, ball at
least three balls per apple (you need 12 in total). Place into a bowl of ice water with the
lemon juice to prevent from discolouring. Split the balls into small vac bags (3 per bag) with
around 50g of caramel glaze in each. Seal completely and cook in a water bath at 63˚C for 1
hour and a half.
6. For the walnut toffee, combine all ingredients into a pan (with exception to the walnuts)
and cook over a medium heat to bring it to 150˚C. Once up to temperature, pour onto a
silicone lined baking sheet and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, break into shards and
blitz to a powder in the thermomix. Transfer to a dry bowl. Blitz the walnuts to a powder and
then combine with the toffee powder. Sieve the mix over a silicone lined baking sheet
forming a even layer approximately 1-2mm thick and bake in the oven at 175˚C for
approximately 5 minutes or until completely melted. Remove from the oven and leave to
cool slightly. Then using a sharp knife mark out 4 large triangles. Then working quickly lift
each triangle and wrap around the side of a pan/ something round to allow it to set in a
curve. Set aside and keep safe. Keep the remaining powder mix in an airtight container.
7. For the caramel gel, combine the sugar with 60ml of water in a pan and bring to a dark
caramel. Deglaze with 120ml water and then add the vanilla and salt and simmer until the
caramel has fully dissolved. Pass the mix through a sieve and set aside. In a clean pan warm
350ml of water, add the agar and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the caramel mix to this and
combine well. Pour into a dish and leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour. Once set,
cut into small pieces (rough 1cm dice) and puree in the thermomix with the double cream.
Pass through a sieve and then transfer mix into a piping bag and chill until ready to serve.
8. To plate, swipe a small amount of caramel gel onto the plate and place the toffee cake on
top of this. Place three poached apple balls around the plate. Pipe a swirl of caramel gelon
top of the toffee cake. Balance the walnut tuile so that it’s just leaning off the cake. Finish
with apple blossom and a sprinkling of the walnut toffee powder.