Caramelized Apple Almond Cake with Ginger

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8” cake tin and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Toss the apple pieces in 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet. Carefully sauté the apples until they soften and start to look golden and caramelized. Don’t let them get too dark or too soft. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and the remaining sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the yoghurt, the grated ginger and the vanilla essence.
4. Beat in the egg yolks little by little until they are blended with the butter mixture. Don’t worry if it curdles.  Sift in the flour and mix well. Gradually beat in the almond flour.
5. Put a pinch of cream of tartar into the egg whites and beat until they form soft peaks.  Fold a spoonful into the cake batter to break it up then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites with a spatula.
6. Gently tip the batter into the prepared pan and gently push the apples into it in a circle, with the pieces pointing towards the center. Don’t crowd them. When you’ve done that, make a second circle inside the first. Put any leftovers in the center.
7. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes until puffy, golden, and a toothpick comes out clean.  Place tin on a rack.  Drizzle honey, if using, onto the cake while it’s still warm. Leave to cool in the tin. Before serving, remove the cake from the tin, and gently peel off the paper. Place on a serving plate and sprinkle with toasted almonds if using.