Omenapiirakka

Base

• butter150 g
• caster sugar125 g
• eggs2
• plain flour180 g
• baking powder1½ tsp
• ground cardamom1 tsp

Topping

• apples4
• caster sugar2 tbsp
• ground cinnamon2 tsp
• vanilla sauce or custard (optional)500 ml

Base

1. 01

   Cut the butter into small cubes. It needs to be soft enough to dent easily with a finger, so take it out of the fridge well ahead; cold butter will not cream.

2. 02

   Heat the oven to 200°C. Grease a 24 cm pie tin with a little of the soft butter.

3. 03

   Beat the rest of the butter with the 125 g of caster sugar for 3 to 4 minutes with an electric whisk, until pale and fluffy.

4. 04

   Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each so the mixture stays smooth.

5. 05

   Sift the flour, baking powder and cardamom into the bowl and fold them in with a spatula until no dry flour is left. The batter will be thick, more like a soft dough.

6. 06

   Spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the tin with the back of a wet spoon, pushing it a little way up the sides.

Topping

7. 07

   Peel the apples if you like (red skins add colour), then quarter and core them and cut each quarter into slices about 5 mm thick.

8. 08

   Arrange the apple slices on the batter in overlapping rings, rounded side up, starting at the rim and finishing in the centre. Press them in lightly; the cake rises around them as it bakes.

9. 09

   Mix the 2 tbsp of caster sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly over the apples.

10. 10

    Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, the apples are tender and a skewer pushed into the cake between the slices comes out clean.

11. 11

    Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes so it firms up enough to cut. Serve warm, in 8 slices, with the vanilla sauce or custard poured over if you like; in Finland the sauce usually goes on cold, straight from the fridge.