Subliminal Messages

Twice lately, E has been sitting with me watching a cooking show and we've gotten cravings for what the host was making. As we lounge on the couch, ogling the TV, we look at each other and suggest that whatever's on may be a good idea for dinner. I've since been thinking: Are we easily impressionable? Is the Food Network running subliminal messages to make us want to cook and eat what we're seeing? I've decided its the latter. That's the reason we just had to have Ina Garten's plum cake "Tatin" one Sunday.

I've never made a true tarte Tatin. While this apple cake is inspired by the famed dessert, its certainly not a traditional rendition. The fruit, in our case apples that have wintered over, is placed in the bottom of a pie plate while the caramel is cooked separately and is then poured over the top. Next sour cream cake batter is made which tops the caramel and fruit before its placed in the oven. In the future I'd cut back on the sugar in the cake batter, but this turned out moist, if not too sweet. As the author suggests, using those tiny Italian prune plums would work well, but its March so I don't have any of those lovelies. And aside from keeping an eye on the boiling caramel, the only other fuss was making sure all of the apples slices keep their spots as the cake came out of the plate.

If the Food Network is trying to pursuade my baking decisions, they've won this time. However, I'm onto their tricks and will be prepared in the future. But if its something tasty, I'll probably just give in anways.

Apple Cake Tatin

From Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
3 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the apples decoratively in the dish, cut side down
Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer

Swirl the pan but don't stir

Pour evenly over the apples
Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy

Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time

Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture

Mix just until combined.
Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes

Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate

If an apple piece sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake

Dust the top with confectioner's sugar and serve warm, but its fine at room temperature as well