Torta di Mele Piemontese

Name: Torta di Mele Piemontese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Piemontese
Ingredients: 800 g renetta apples; 1 whole unwaxed lemon; 200 g Plain flour; 150 g caster sugar; 3 large Eggs; 80 g Unsalted butter; 100 ml Whole milk; 10 g Baking powder; 1 pinch Fine sea salt

A rustic Piedmontese apple cake packed with sliced orchard fruit and scented with lemon zest. It has a moist, custardy crumb and golden top.

🇮🇹Italy· Piedmont

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 280 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

800 g renetta apples — peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 whole unwaxed lemon — zested and juiced
200 g Plain flour — sifted
150 g caster sugar — divided into 130g and 20g portions
3 large Eggs — at room temperature
80 g Unsalted butter — melted and cooled
100 ml Whole milk — at room temperature
10 g Baking powder — sifted
1 pinch Fine sea salt

Equipment

•22cm springform cake tin
•Baking parchment
•Electric hand whisk
•Mixing bowls
•Apple peeler and paring knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 280 kcal
fat: 10 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 5 g
calories: 280 kcal

Instructions

1
Grease and line a 22cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.
2
Preheat your oven to 180C (160C fan).
3
Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice and half the lemon zest in a bowl.
4
Whisk the eggs and 130g caster sugar together until pale, thick, and fluffy.
5
Pour in the melted butter, milk, and remaining lemon zest, whisking gently to combine.
6
Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt with a spatula until smooth.
7
Gently stir three-quarters of the sliced apples into the batter until evenly distributed.
8
Pour the mixture into the tin and arrange the remaining apple slices neatly on top.
9
Sprinkle the remaining 20g of caster sugar evenly over the surface.
10
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted centrally comes out clean.
11
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

Chef's tips

Use firm, tart baking apples like Renetta or Russet so they hold shape and balance the sweetness. Slicing the apples evenly ensures they soften uniformly throughout the batter.

Ingredient substitutions

Renetta apples → Cox or Bramley mixed with Royal Gala
whole milk → unsweetened oat milk

Storage

Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Reheating

Warm individual slices in a 150C oven for 5 minutes if you prefer the crumb slightly warm.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Cutting apple slices too thick, which prevents them from cooking to tender softness.
•Overmixing the batter once flour is added, resulting in a tough texture.
•Unmoulding the cake while piping hot, causing the moist crumb to break.

Serving suggestions

Serve at room temperature with an afternoon espresso.Dust lightly with icing sugar just before bringing to the table.Pair with a small glass of sweet Moscato d'Asti.