Welcome to this week’s episode of Linnea Lund’s Food Fridays where every Friday we share one of our favorite Swedish dishes for you and your loved ones to try out at home. Every day should be a time for sharing and exchanging recipes and traditions with family, friends and colleagues. This is why we want to share a little of our Swedish culture with you!

Today’s recipe is for the Swedelicious Äppelkaka:  a common dessert in Sweden found in small cafes and fancy restaurants. You can even accompany it with a nice vanilla sauce that you can find already made. Who knows? Maybe in the future we will be showing you how to make the vanilla sauce yourself!

Ingredients: 

▢ 190 g all-purpose flour

▢ 3 tsp  baking powder

▢ 100 g sugar 

▢  1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar)

▢ 115 g chilled butter

▢ 1 egg

▢ 4-5 medium sized baking apples

▢ Powder sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Butter the bottom and part way up the sides of a 20 cm springform pan.
2. Blend all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Dice the chilled butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using two forks or a pastry cutter. 
4. When the mixture looks like breadcrumbs add the egg, mixing lightly to incorporate.  Use your hands to form the mixture into a ball.  
5. Divide the dough into three parts. Press two parts into the base and part way up the sides of the springform pan, about 1 cm thick.  
6. Roll the remaining mixture out between lightly floured waxed paper to form a circle large enough to cover the top of the cake. Set aside.
7. Peel, core, and grate the apples using the largest holes on the grater. If you work quickly the apples won’t brown too much. At this point you may also add cinnamon or sugar to the apple for extra flavor.
8. Put the apples into the springform pan and lightly press them down. Make sure none of the grated apple is touching the side of the tin.
9. Gently lay the reserved pastry over the grated apples, ensuring that it goes right to the edges of the pan. Make sure to pinch together any tears or holes
10. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until golden, about 20-30 minutes. Watch it closely to avoid overbaking. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
11.  Dust the top with powdered sugar (optional).
12. Serve at room temperature or chilled with vanilla sauce.

ENJOY!