German Apple Hazelnut Layered Cake

You will love this cake: The German Apple Hazelnut Cake is a Torte, so it’s layered, and filled with a special filling of apples, cream and marzipan. For decoration you use “Krokant”, a sweet crunchy crumble that is unfortunately not to be found in the USA, but you can make it from scratch or use other sprinkles such as chocolate. Time frame: 2:15 min. Happy Baking!

Ingredients German Apple Hazelnut Cake

50 g hazelnuts, ground (alternatively almonds)
175 g flour
125 g corn starch
1 dash salt
125 g butter
75 g powdered sugar
4 eggs
125 g baking marzipan, raw
2 tbsp almond liquor – optional – or almond flavor/extract to taste
150 g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2lb apples
200ml liter white wine, dry, alternatively apple juice
1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp lemon juice
2 packages gelatin, ground (German package contains 9g per package – see below)
600 ml heavy cream
thin apple slices and hazelnut Krokant for decoration, alternatively use grated chocolate
– How to Make Hazelnut Krokant – 
1 cake ring

Baking Instructions

Make the Base Dough
– Combine hazelnuts with 100g flour, 75 g starch, 50 g powdered sugar, salt, butter and 1 egg.
– Knead until you get a smooth dough.
– Roll in plastic foil and keep in fridge for 30 min.

– Pre-heat oven to 175 C or 350F regular oven, convection 300F/150C.
– Use a 26 cm or 10 inch springform and layer with parchment paper.
– Press the dough into the form. With a fork poke several times.
– Bake for 10 min.

Make the Filling
– Mix marzipan with 25 g powdered sugar, liquor or flavor and 2 tbsp water. It should be a smooth paste that you will spread all over the base cake.
– Separate 3 eggs.
– Beat egg white with 3 tbsp warm water until firm. Add 100 g sugar and egg yolks. Using a spatula mix well.
– Mix 75 g flour, 50 g starch and baking powder and sieve to the egg cream. Mix carefully.
– Place the filling on the marzipan layer.
– Bake for another 20 min. Let cool off.

Make Apple Compote
– Peel apples, remove core, cut in quarters and then into small pieces.
– Combine apples with wine, 50 g sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Bring to a brief boil.
– Let cool off for 5-10 min.
– Mix gelatin with 12 tbsp water, let soak for 10 min. Add to the cooled off compote.
– Keep in fridge for 3-4 hours, stir now and then.

– Beat 400 ml heavy cream until firm, mix into the compote.
– Cut the base cake horizontally.
– Place a cake ring around the bottom cake part.
– Add the apple filling on top. Place second cake on top.
– Keep the cake for 2-3 hours in the fridge.

– Release the cake ring.
– Beat 200 ml heavy cream until firm.
– Spread the shipped cream all around the cake.
– Add some whipped cream into a frosting bag with star nozzle and squirt some dots for each piece.
– Use thinly sliced apple slices and hazelnut Krokant to decorate the cake.