Huguenot Torte (Apple-Pecan Torte)

Recipe courtesy of The Incredible Edible Egg™.

Recipe Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts (6-ounce)

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Coat bottom and sides of two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with waxed or parchment paper; spray paper. Dust bottom and sides of pans with flour; tap out excess.
2. Sift 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, the baking powder and salt into medium bowl; set aside.
3. Beat eggs in mixer bowl with whisk attachment on high speed until thick, pale lemon-colored and triple in volume, 5 to 10 minutes Reduce speed to medium. Beating constantly, add sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until sugar is dissolved before adding the next tablespoon. (Rub a bit of mixture between thumb and forefinger; it should feel completely
   smooth.) Beat in vanilla extract.
4. Add apples and nuts to flour mixture; toss to mix. Sprinkle evenly over egg mixture. Fold gently but thoroughly until no streaks remain. Do not stir. Pour into prepared pans; spread even.
5. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes for 9-inch pans; 35 to 45 minutes for 8-inch pans. Cool on wire racks.
6. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with a thin knife. Gently shake cakes out of pans onto racks, taking care not to crack the meringue tops. Remove waxed paper carefully; turn cakes right-side up.
7. Serve warm or cool completely.

Makes 16 servings.

Notes:

• Gentle folding is the key to maintaining volume. Combining heavier mixtures with beaten eggs can knock the air out of them. Add the flour mixture to the beaten eggs, not vice versa. Fold with a light touch, rather than stirring. Using a rubber spatula, start with a downward stroke into the bowl, continue across the bottom, up the side and over the top of the mixture. Come up through the center every few strokes and rotate the bowl often as you fold. Fold just until no streaks remain.
• Use two (8 or 9-inch) springform pans (or one of each) if you have them. You won't have to worry about cracking the tops when unmolding cakes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/16 of recipe): Calories: 205; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Total Carbs: 28g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 4g; Sodium: 104mg.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Incredible Edible Egg™.