Huguenot Torte: Maybe I'll Move to Charleston

It's mind-boggling the recipes I prepare and taste just so I can have something to share with you for Day #7 of NaBloPoMo. Now I have a baking dish full of what the Lee brothers describe as a crusty-gooey, sticky-delicious accident between a blondie and an apple-pecan pie. I don't think I've ever had a blondie or pecans in my apple pie, but this is utterly fabulous. Carmen, please come take your cookbook back before I move on to the caramel cake, smothered pork chops, dirty rice, frogmore soup, fried oysters, and shrimp popovers…and wash it all down with a rock and rye or kumquat martini. I love this cookbook! If I don't get the Starbucks' job in Seattle, I may move to Charleston.

Apparently, the Huguenot Torte originated in Charleston, but not many Charleston restaurants these days offer it. However, it's almost always served in the tea rooms that open in the spring throughout the area. Because it is ultra-decadent, adding a little buttermilk or sour cream to the whipping cream tempers the sweetness.

That's it!

Whisk eggs

Whisk in sugar, flour and salt

Whisk in baking powder and apples

Whisk in vanilla and chopped pecans

Pour into prepared baking dish and bake

Allow to cool 10 minutes and serve with whipped cream

Huguenot Torte

The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter for greasing baking dish

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Granny Smith apple, or other tart apple (cored, peeling and diced)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons whole buttermilk or sour cream

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're creamy and frothy. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, apple, pecans, and vanilla, whisking to combine after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top of the torte is crusty. Remove the torte from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Whip the cream with the buttermilk until stiff peaks form.

Scoop torte onto dessert plates and serve with dollops of the whipped cream. 

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