French-style apple cake; Apple scones

You can make these cakes all year around, they never go out of season.

French-style apple cake. Picture: Guy Bailey.

I like to use Granny Smith apples for the scones and a variety of types for the cake. The secret to light scones is not to mix or knead the dough too much, and to handle them as little as possible.

French-style apple cake

125g plain flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

4 large apples, peeled and cored

2 large free-range eggs

150g caster sugar

3 tablespoons dark rum or brandy

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

125g butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

Preheat oven to 160C fan. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin (or one with removable base). Sift flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a small bowl. Dice apples into 1.5cm pieces. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy; whisk in sugar, rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour mixture, then gently stir in half the melted butter. Stir in remaining flour mixture, then the remaining butter. Lightly stir through diced apple. Transfer to tin and smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until firm and a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge; carefully remove the sides of the cake tin. Dust with icing sugar to serve. Serves 8-10

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Apple scones. Picture: Guy Bailey.

Apple scones

250g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

1 teaspoon baking powder

60g chilled butter, diced

3 tablespoons caster sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and grated

125ml (½ cup) buttermilk

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon demerara or raw sugar

Butter or lightly whipped cream, to serve

Jam, to serve

Preheat oven to 200C fan. Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add chopped butter and, using your fingertips, rub it through the flour until the mix looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in sugar and cinnamon, add apple and mix well. Pour in buttermilk and stir gently, using a large metal spoon, until the mixture comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a round about 3cm thick. Dip a 6cm cutter into some flour and cut out scones, flouring the cutter each time. Squash any offcuts together and cut into rounds until all dough is used up. Brush tops with a little milk; sprinkle with demerara sugar. Place on lined tray and bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature, spread with butter or lightly whipped cream and jam. Makes 8-10

[e-mail] Digital subscribers can see more recipes by David Herbert at theaustralian.com.au/herbert-recipes