Hasselback Apple Cake

Author Notes: Hasselback technique is most often done with potatoes, but here the
cinnamony lemon juice drips down into the grooves cut into the apples. This cake is great for breakfast the next day. Reprinted with permission from Dinner at the Long Table by Andrew Tarlow and Anna Dunn. Ten Speed Press, 2016. 

Serves 8

• 10tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
• 3tiny apples, peeled, halved, and cored
• 1tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2teaspoons light brown sugar
• 6tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2tablespoons honey plus 1 ⁄4 cup
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon kosher salt
• 1tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• Coarse sea salt
• 1/2cup heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter, then line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and grease the paper as well. Place the apple halves, cut side down, on a cutting board. Use a knife to cut halfway through the apple halves in thin parallel slices, so that they stay intact. This is hasselbacking. In a bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and the light brown sugar.
2. Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons of honey and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and egg yolks, beating until just combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a small bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture until just combined.
3. In another bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, stir half of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top. Arrange the apple halves, flat side down, onto the cake batter, pressing them down slightly. Pour the accumulated apple juices onto the cake. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then slide a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Let the cake cool completely.
5. When ready to serve, make a glaze in a small pot by warming the remaining ¼ cup honey with the orange juice and whisking together until loose. Brush the honey mixture all over the cake and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt. Serve with the whipped cream.

https://food52.com/recipes/61821-hasselback-apple-cake