Apple Ricotta Crinkle Cake
This week I’m thinking about crinkle cake. Crispy, crunchy delicious ricotta custard and apple dotted crinkle cake. I have a few sweets up my sleeve these days so expect some more incoming recipes.
A little note to crinkle cake: Crinkle cake you are clever with your crispy little layers and tender custard soaked bottom. You’re not as scrumptious as apple crisp but you serve a greater purpose thats useful for both dessert and breakfast.
I get excited when I have a bowl of apples with leaves intact (on purpose, because it’s adorable) on my counter. Store-bought apples do suffice, but when in season, use the newest harvest. If you can get yourself to an apple orchard, go pick to eat or bake, or just to feel in the autumnal season. And, snack along the way. Give your apple a little shirt rub and don’t feel bad! You see dozens of apples buried in the grass, turning into ground apple cider anyway.
Up in the Hudson Valley, we picked Gala and Snap Dragons. With origins in New Zealand, the Gala is a good all-purpose apple. The crispier Snap Dragon, developed by Cornell University, is best for eating raw, in salads, on sandwiches, or on boards. Both are suitable for making into sauce and baking with, too.
Making the best case for your crinkle cake:
- Prep Ahead: If you want to save some time, you can bake off the phyllo the night before, mix the custard ingredients, and store them in the refrigerator. Pour custard over cooled phyllo layers and bake the next day.
- Custard In A Quart: Make your custard in a quart container. Especially great if prepping ahead, and easier to pour from than a mixing bowl.
- Soaking the Phyllo: Make sure to soak the phyllo layers in the custard mixture, or else you’ll end up with dry, raw phyllo. When pouring the custard into your pan, take a little peek through the layers to make sure they are all submerged.
- Apple compote from scratch?: I guess you don’t have to make your own apple compote, but I suggest it for that bigger yum moment. Let it cook while you prepare and bake the initial step of phyllo. If you don’t have time or bandwidth, I suggest a pre-made product like Bon Maman apple pie filling. I haven’t tried the crinkle cake with it, but I’ve eaten this on it’s own, warmed up with ice cream— deliziosa!
Apple Ricotta Crinkle Cake
Ingredients
Apple Compote
- 16 oz. apples, peeled and thinly sliced or chopped (about 4 medium)
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Ricotta Custard
- 3/4 c. milk
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1/3 c. whole milk ricotta
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Assembly
- 1 16 oz. box phyllo dough
- 4 tbsp. butter, divided
- 3 tbsp. golden raisins
- 3 tbsp. pine nuts, crushed
Instructions
Apple Compote
- Combine apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Cook until the apples break down, caramelizing, and barely hold their shape, about 45 minutes 1 hour. Adjust heat to medium low and add a tablespoon of water at a time if the apples begin to stick or dry out. I used a nonstick pan for this too, which is helpful. Remove and set aside to cool.
Ricotta Custard
- In a quart container combine milk, heavy cream, ricotta, eggs, sugar, and salt. Secure with lid and shake vigorously until the eggs break and incorporate into the cream mixture. You can also use a whisk to break up the egg. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375°F and brush 1 tbsp. butter in a 9×12 pan. Remove a sleeve of phyllo and starting with 1 sheet: fold the short end (think of this like a vertical rectangle) into an accordion away from you. Place each piece on the short end of the pan, the 12 inch side (think of this like a vertical rectangle too). Repeat with remaining phyllo. It will all fit!
- Bake phyllo until very pale golden and crispy to the touch, 15 minutes. Remove and place dollops of apple around the phyllo. Sprinkle raisins and crushed pinenuts sporadically between the crevices. Pour custard evenly over top, allowing it to sink in and absorb
- Brush top of phyllo with 3 tbsp. melted butter. Continue to bake until set, 30 to 35 minutes
