French Fridays with Dorie: Marie-Helene's Apple Cake, Standard and Rustic

This simple cake, more apples than batter, was the first recipe that I cooked from Around My French Table. Or, should I say, the first recipe in the book that I cooked. It was not until last night that I was finally able to cook from my brand new copy of the book itself (it's giant! it's fun! I love new cookbooks!).

The first time I made the cake, I made it in an 8-inch cake pan rather than the 8-inch springform  recommended, because the bottom to my 7-inch springform has gone missing...anyone seen it? As you can probably see, Matt was not around to photograph the 8-inch pan, so you're stuck with my sorry shot. Both times, I had no issues with the cake sticking to the pan, it pulled easily away from the sides, and as it was somewhat sloppy anyway, I didn't see a problem with the turnout.

When I made it again last night, I halved the recipe and went rustic, cooking it in a preheated small cast-iron skillet.

It was thin and flat, almost like a breakfast pancake, and this time I cooked it longer to get a really crispy brown top.

Both times, the flavor right out of the oven was delicious, warm buttery cake bits and molten apples.

Overnight, the juices from the apples released into the cake, and turned it into something closer to a bread pudding (not a problem in this house).

The flavor profile was what Matt would call 'breakfasty' and I would call 'I'll have some now please.'

I like ice cream for breakfast and fruity things for dessert.

Now that my copy of the book has finally (finally!) come in the mail, I look forward to cooking widely from it.