Irish Apple Cake with Jameson’s Whiskey Crème Anglaise

Yesterday was Saint Patrick’s Day. Need I say more??

OK, I’ll say just a little bit more.

I didn’t have much time this week to bake since Saint Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, I usually prepare a traditional Irish Dinner with a yummy traditional dessert.

But I never know when I see a recipe online if it is ‘traditional’ and old fashioned or if someone just added the word ‘Irish’ to the front of the recipe. Then I found Catherine Fulvio, who is a chef in Ireland and runs a culinary school.  Her recipes are fantastic and I’ve made several of them so far.  I have had to adapt them a bit based on what is available here in the US versus what is available to her in Ireland. I have also adapted them to suit my families tastes a bit.

Now her Apple Cake has olive oil and raisins and sugar and lemon zest and ginger and baking soda.  And I am sure that it is FABULOUS!  But the first time I made it, I was out of lemons. Without the acidity of the lemon, you don’t need the baking soda.  And while ginger is one of my all-time favorite flavors, most of my family is not crazy about the ‘heat’ of it in a cake.

Also, I’m having ONE PIECE and ONE PIECE ONLY of this cake today.  Since my boys don’t like raisins in their cake and my husband gave up cake for lent (he really did – it’s his biggest weakness!) I am leaving the raisins out to ensure that the boys it ALL!

So, my version is not the same as Catherine’s. I decided that I needed to come with a truly Irish kick to make it a real Irish dessert.

WHISKEY!!

By the way, notice the ‘e’ in whiskey?  That’s the Irish spelling.  The Scots spell it whisky.  Very important distinction in the UK!

I whipped up a good ole crème anglaise and stirred in some Jameson’s Caskmate Stout Edition whiskey. Yes, we had a little glass on the side as well!  My husband and I are fans of Glenfiddich and I have honestly never had Jameson’s before.  Well, I can guarantee that it will not go to waste!  It is GOOD!

Now, you could switch it up and use some Irish Cream or leave the alcohol out complete.  But, it’s Saint Patrick’s Day! I’m pretty sure alcohol consumption is required in Ireland and I was going for authentic so…..

I even had a little piece for breakfast.  And I am not ashamed!

Irish Apple Cake with Jameson’s Irish Whiskey Crème Anglaise

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 min to 1 hour

Total time: About 1 and ½ hours

Yield: 1 cake

Ingredients for the Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (1 and ½ sticks) cold butter, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup Stevia in the Raw
• 2 large tart apples such as Granny Smith, peeled and diced
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (you may substitute whole milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly spray an 8 inch spring form pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
2. Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cubes of butter and pulse 6 or 7 times.
3. Pour the flour butter mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in the baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, salt, honey and stevia.
4. Stir in the diced apples.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk and vanilla.
6. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Gently mix until all the flour is blended in but don’t overmix.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then release the sides of the spring form pan.
9. Allow cake to cool completely. Serve with crème anglaise (recipe below).

Irish Whiskey Crème Anglaise

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 min

Total time: 15 min

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

•  2 cups whole milk
• 6 tablespoons sugar, divided in half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
• Good sized pinch of salt
• Up to 3 tablespoons Irish Whiskey (I used Jameson’s Caskmates Stout Edition)

Instructions

1. Stir together the milk and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over med/low heat until steaming but do not allow it to boil. Turn off heat and add vanilla bean paste and whisk together.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk briskly for 1 minute.
3. Continue whisking egg yokes while slowly pouring about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture. Once the milk is completely incorporated, slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk mixture. Keep whisking while pouring to keep the eggs from scrambling.
4. Place the pan back on the stove and heat on med/low and stir continuously until thickened. When you can draw a line on the back of the spoon and the line stays there, you will know that the mixture is thick enough.
5. Remove from heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
6. Stir in salt and additional vanilla if needed. Add the Irish Whiskey 1 tablespoon at a time, tasting until you are happy with it.

TIP: We don’t normally but whole milk but I wanted the extra fat in this recipe. I used 1 and ½ cups 2% milk and ½ cup half and half. This will give you the same fat percentage of whole milk.

TIP 2: This crème anglaise would also be amazing on this cake with Irish Cream instead of the whiskey.