Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

TORTA DI MELE CON SALSA DI SULTANA

Apple Cake with Raisin Sauce

Serves 6-8

1 Stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter

1 cup sugar

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2-1 cup milk

2 pounds Golden Delicious or Rome apples, cored, peeled, and sliced (squeeze lemon over the cut apples to keep them from turning brown)

Salsa di Sultana (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350०. Grease the 9-inch cake pan.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add the lemon rind and blend. Add the vanilla and eggs and blend well. Add the flour and baking powder and 1/2 cup of the milk. If the batter is too sticky, add more milk, a little bit at a time. It should be like a thick cake batter. Fold in the apples, reserving a large handful to arrange on the top of the cake, and pour the batter into the cake pan. Arrange the remaining apples on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cut in slices and spoon the sauce over each slice.

SALSA DI SULTANA

Raisin Sauce

1 cup milk

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons white raisins, soaked in warm, sweet white wine such as Marsala or Vin Santo for an hour

3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts

Put the milk in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla until the yolks turn lemony yellow, and pour into the top of a double boiler. Add the boiled milk, beating continuously until the mixture thickens. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Before serving, squeeze out the raisins and add them to the sauce. Then add the walnuts. Mix, and spoon over the apple cake.