Famous Czech Apple Slice Recipe

Famous Czech Apple Slice Recipe

These amazing apple slices with meringue topping is hugely popular in the Czech Republic. The best translation of the Czech name "Hraběnčiny řezy" into English is probably Countess' slices.

Course Sweet Pastry

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Fruit cake, Recipes with apples

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings slices

Calories 216kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

Pie crust:

4 egg yolks
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ⅓ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
⅓ cup milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Apple filling:

5 medium apples
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup walnuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Meringue topping:

4 egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar

Misc.:

1 Tablespoon solid fat to grease the baking sheet
2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs to dust the baking sheet
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar to sprinkle the baked apple slice

Cups - Metric

Instructions

BEFORE BAKING: Grease a baking sheet with 1 Tablespoon solid fat and dust with 2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Place1 ⅓ stick unsalted butter in a bowl, add ¾ cup granulated sugar, and cream them with a spatula. Then incorporate 4 egg yolks, one at a time. Finally, add 3 cups all-purpose flour combined before with 2 teaspoons baking powder and ⅓ cup milk. Work by hand into a soft, smooth dough.
Separate a third of the dough, wrap it in plastic, and place it in the freezer to firm up.
Press the remaining dough evenly into a thin layer on the bottom of the prepared baking sheet.
Coarsely chop 1 cup walnuts using a large chef's knife.
Peel 5 medium apples, remove the cores, and either slice them thinly or grate them coarsely. If desired, sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Spread the apples evenly over the dough, dust with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and chopped nuts.
Beat 4 egg whites with ½ cup granulated sugar using a handheld electric mixer with whisk attachement until stiff peaks form. Then, whisk in a tablespoon of wine vinegar. Carefully spread the meringue over the apple layer.
Take the remaining third of the dough out of the freezer and grate it coarsely. Sprinkle the grated dough over the meringue layer. Ensure the dough does not form a thick, impenetrable layer; the meringue should still be visible beneath the grated dough.
Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Let the apple slice cool down and sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar.

Notes

The basic recipe makes about 25 slices.
SERVING: Let the apple slice cool for a while, and dust the surface with powdered sugar. Slice into bars and serve.
EQUIPMENT: The basic recipe is designed for a rather large baking sheet of about 12x16" (30 x 40 cm). You will also need a hand grater, a spatula, and a large knife to roughly chop/slice the walnuts.
Sweeten the apple layer to taste. If the apples are more tart, add extra sugar; if they are sweeter, you can reduce the amount of sugar.
In addition to the nuts, add raisins to the apples if you like them.
This apple slice tastes best on the day it is baked. Over time, the fluffy meringue layer can become moist, and the cake loses its fresh, crispy texture. Enjoy it while it's fresh from the oven for the best experience.

Nutrition