Trust me Dear Reader in that I have never sought to have a blog where everything is perfectly magical and done with ease and without any frustration. There are some dishes that are so fiddly to prepare and are simply not really worth it. And this thousand layered apple cake is one of them. I lost three hours of my life to this baby and I have to admit I’m slightly resentful of that fact.
It’s really my own fault. I’m one of those people that never reads manuals and a follow on from it is that I rarely pay attention to preparation times or cooking times. I prefer to read the steps and see whether it is achievable. However I should have done so particularly after I spent an hour and half peeling, coring, mandolining and placing these delicate little apple slices just so, and then another hour and a half cooking the cake. I didn’t do myself any favours by using small apples as I thought that the pattern would look prettier. All I could do once I started was dream of large apples and the time saving I’d have achieved with using them.
Then there was the washing up afterwards and the fact that the cake didn’t behave as it should have according to the recipe from the Buon Ricordo cookbook. I tried it and even though I used half of the amount of sugar (there was no way I could bear to use a whole kilo of sugar), it was tooth achingly sweet and the only thing I could see it accompanied with was a strong cup of unsweetened coffee.
Then I gave Mr NQN a slice.
“**** it’s soo nice” he says.
“What?” I ask him increduously. “Are you serious?”.
“Yes” he says oblivious to my pain. “I think it’s really the nicest cake you’ve ever made. It’s like an apple jelly”.
I slump in my seat. “Holy macaron” I say to myself and plead under my breath “Please don’t ask for it for your birthday”.
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever made anything that was incredibly troublesome to make but worth it?
Thousand Layered Apple Cake
Adapted from the Buon Ricordo cookbook
Preparation time: 1- 1.5 hours
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
- 2.5 kgs golden delicious apples
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 500g sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger or cinnamon (optional)
1x 23cm springform cake tin
1 deep sided baking tray
1. Peel and core the apples and then slice them as thinly as possible with a mandolin. You’ll do your sanity good if you buy bigger ones as I used smaller apples and ended up peeling, coring and mandolining about 16 apples. Place in a large bowl of cold water with the lemon juice.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Now this is the bit that took me an hour. Place the apples in a single layer and then sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of sugar over each layer. Make sure to drain the apple slices from the lemon water but don’t dry them until they are bone dry, a sieve will do. When a quarter of the apples are laid out, press the top of the cake gently down with your hands to squeeze the layers together.
3. Place the cake tin on a deep sided baking tray and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes (this cake will bake for 1.5 hours in total). After 30 minutes, some of the syrup will have seeped out from the springform. Gently release the springform ever so slightly to release the syrup from within the tin and clip shut again.
4. Bake for another 30 minutes and remove from oven. With an oven mitt in one hand and a large spoon in another carefully tip the baking tray to one side slightly and spoon up the syrup and place it on top of the cake. Bake for another 20 minutes. Then turn up the temperature to 200c/400F and bake for 10 minutes to brown the top.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and if the syrup is still pale, place in a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce until thickened and golden. Or if it’s thick and golden pour the syrup over the cake. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes and then unclip the springfom collar and place it on a serving plate on the springform base. Serve with vanilla ice cream or cream. Collapse, exhausted from the effort, and watch television immediately.
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105 Comments | Add your own
Hi!I know exactly how you feel but qualm those frustrations because it looks absolutely STUNNING!
BTW, I love your blog and everything Sydney so I have you down on my blog under ‘food tribe’. Please come visit – http://www.weavethousandflavors.com
Ciao, Devaki
Lol. I always do the same thing, and tend to not read the recipes properly before launching into it – I tend to make it up as I go along, which isn’t always good when it comes to baking certain things.
I think the cake turned out really well though – I love apples, and I would happily eat this. Well done on persevering with it!
That is a fabulous and unique cake! So tempting!
Cheers,
Rosa
It is a beautiful little cake! I thought the Dobos tort was a bit too troublesome. xoxo Mum
I’ve kept a recipe like this aside to try for a while now, but I can’t get past the amount of sugar required nor how long it would take me to peel, cut and place all those apples.
And now I know not to attempt it! Thanks for the heads up.
Oh, in that case you’ve got advance warning – my birthday’s in July
Seriously though, I feel your pain, I had 5 hours of blanching almonds the other week, should have bought slithered as I just freaking pureed them anyway!! And the compliments don’t help either!
Does look pretty though!
I hate it when that happens. At least Mr NQN liked it. I once made a zucotto which took ages and was only so so – very disappointing. I’m happy to put in an effort if it’s going to be great. I made Malakoff Torte last night for jetlagmama’s birthday and it is worth every minute. Work is so much better with cake.
Oh my goodness, I hope for your sake Mr NQN forgets about the cake.
OMG, Lorraine, this cake takes my breath away! I’m bookmarking this for next apple season (if I can hold out that long before making it)! As far as some things taking forever to make but being worth it in the end, one dish comes quickly to my mind…Indian butter chicken…to die for!
I have to say that it’s gorgeous and I am tempted to make it, except for you saying it’s tooth-achingly sweet. I can’t stand too-sweet desserts. Does Mr. NQN have a terrible sweet tooth? (I believe you might have mentioned he did in some other posts)
It’s beautiful — but I can see how absolutely awful it’d be to slice up all those apples! I’m sorry it wasn’t the best. Here’s hoping Mr. NQN loves the next cake recipe A LOT MORE.
I’m so sorry you lost three hours. At least it’s pretty!!!
Your not perfectly magical blog is the reason I read…because it is REAL! I loathe those magazine style blogs that make the food look so plastic and unattainable. That’s not inspiring anyone! You however do inspire me with your tales. For the record boys tend to like anything that’s sweet. No matter how crappy it may look. Which is not to say yours looks crappy it’s actually really beautiful in a restic way. Rustic = good!
Every single thing they taught us to make at culinary school was incredible troublesome. Too fancy shmancy for my taste. That’s why I like posting the simplest of desserts on my blog. There’s no reason one needs to spend 3 hours peeling appples to enjoy dessert! That said I still want to lick the screen!
There are definitely recipes that are well worth the time and effort- usually it takes the appreciation of others to make you realise it though. That cake looks rather impressive. Good job!!!
oh this is amazing. the cake looks nice and yummy. Pity it takes so much effort.
ooooh that cake does look amazing! But I agree the the time factor. Mr BBB always requests lemon meringue pie, which after all the pastry making, pastry resting, curd making, curd cooling, meringue cooking, can take up a whole afternoon!
I still looks lovely. It does sound like quite a bit of a pain though
I once made a cake that turned out like rubber – it used a dozen eggs too!!
Three hours? Now that’s dedication! Great work though! At least you were satisfied afterwards huh?
While it looks utterly scrumptious, it’s one of those recipes I would ask someone else to bake for me rather than go to the trouble myself. Wonder if my mum would be up to the challenge….
this recipe (and things like potato bake) calls for my kitchenaid food processor!! it takes a few seconds to get gorgeous thin slices and the plus side is that my husband thinks its great fun!! i prepare the other stuff and he does all the slicing!!
This recipe (and things like potato bake) calls for my kitchenaid food processor (with the slicing attachment)!! It takes a few seconds to get gorgeous thin slices and the plus side is that my husband thinks its great fun!! i prepare the other stuff and he does all the slicing!!
THREE HOURS?? Woah. It does look amazing though. And i LOVE apples so I will be trying this one …. with large apples and not 1kg of sugar either
The most troublesome thing so far was chocolate eclairs… thinking back it wasn’t too bad I guess.. maybe I’ve just blocked out the crap part
x
It looks scrumptious – worth every bit of frustration and time I would suspect? Don’t apples and cake make a wonderful partnership!
It looks divine Lorraine, a work of Art or perhaps the Eighth wonder of the world, I’m exaggerating a little but you get my drift
I’m sure it tastes divine and it did get my absolute attention this morning.
In my experience the most troublesome thing I have attempted is probably Dobos Torte, as it’s painstakingly involved but oh so worth it once you take that first bite!
Lorraine,
A cake with zero flour? Delicate beautiful apple slices! I guess the tedious part is all the slicing and layering but it does looks delightful! Jelly making can be tedious but so worth it too!
Aloha,
Marilyn
Waw,…Lorraine!! You & your fantastic looking desserts!!
You are certainly the Master in Desserts!!
MMMMM,…I would love to savour that with hot home made vanilla custard!
It’s a beauty! I can’t believe it wasn’t worth the trouble. I do make a lot of troublesome things, and I’ve had a couple that just didn’t turn out well lately, but I live and learn.
Isn’t that just typical?! Mind you, it does look absolutely delicious… I once made an English castle birthday cake for my boys, with turrets, parapets, cannons, soldiers, etc. Each brick was stuck on individually. Finally, a 2 o’clock in the morning on the day of the party, I decided that it was only going to have two towers instead of four! J’s best friend asked me to bake the same cake for his birthday, please. xxx
I’ve got to say it looks stunning. I’m amazed it is really just apples and sugar and nerves of steel! Can I put my order in now?
the cake looks amazing lorraine and wouldnt u say your hard work paid off if mr nqn liked it so much that he swore? haha
once i made chicken lettuce and aoli sandwiches and richard loved it so much he was like F*CK ITS SO GOOD! so now i know if richard swears then it must be good
I think this looks fabulous. I have apple trees and so next September when they are laden down I shall try this recipe. My husband used a load of this year’s apples for our first batch of cider from scratch. We’re looking forward to trying it.
I live in Newfoundland, Canada, but will be coming for a second visit to Australia in April. Tasmania, Melbourne, Sydney, and points in between.
So so pretty.
It looks fantastic to me! I’ve seen this cake made at BR. The secret is the layering of the apples (the rings need to be pretty close together because I think the idea is that you don’t see ‘rings’ once it’s baked, but beautiful layers upon layers of apple) and to baste often, so that the apple slices cook evenly, and become glisteningly translucent from top to bottom. How cool that Mr NQN loved it too – always makes it worth the effort, doesn’t it
It IS incredibly pretty. I love the translucent little slices. It does look like it would taste like apple jelly! Impressive to be sure but yeah, that is a lot of time and effort!
That’s really pretty, you must have such patience to arrange all the pieces in that pattern.
great job Lorraine!
Send me a slice plssssssssssssssssssss …hehe
MMM,…I’m wondering if these would work out done in mini springform pans? I have a few lying around at home (10cm across). It would also definitely cut down on the time factor.
“I slump in my seat. “Holy macaron” I say to myself and plead under my breath “Please don’t ask for it for your birthday”.”
^^ Hahaha
Ever thought of adding a few drops of Calvados for flavour ?
So glad that your hard work was appreciated by Mr NQN! I’ve made a similar layered dish with potatoes, and it leaked melted butter all other the place. It tasted good, but!
I lend you my kids next time; they will love handling the knives…:-D
Yikes! I think this is one that is best left to the professionals i.e. you.
I’ll just admire from afar
wowww this looks sooo good!
I salute you for perservering with this – but it does look delightful.
The first thing that pops into my mind as being troublesome to make but worth it was the Daring Bakers lasagne from late 2008 – that was painful, but tasted amazing.
I can feel your frustration!Mine was Chez Panisse Almond Tart. I must’ve burnt all the tips of my fingers trying to get the almond filling right
but worth every bite in the end.
thats crazy a lot of apples!
fantastic job.
i wont have the patience to slice so many!
especially when i don’t have a slicer
Oooh, this is gorgeous! I don’t know if it’s because you’re in Australia and I’m in America, but I wouldn’t call this a cake. It is a stunning, intricate, over the top version of baked apples to me – apples, sugar, lemon, ginger/cinnamon. “Cake” makes it sound too simple – isn’t there a French word that would convey all of the hard work you put into it? I have not tried it yet, but bookmarked a Martha Stewart recipe for a 14-layer “Darkest Chocolate Crepe Cake with Hazelnut Filling, Chocolate Glaze, and Carmelized Hazelnuts” I’m thinking a two-day project, at least.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/darkest-chocolate-crepe-cake?xsc=stf_MSLO-RECIPE
I was one of those silly people who watched masterchef and decided that I could make a croquembouche better than any of them.
I lost five hours of my life, burnt all my fingertips in the toffee, had set toffee all over me, the bench, the floor, the sink, flour everywhere and a very unsuccessful profiterole tower.
The worst part – my boyfriend loved them and asks for it all the time.
The best part – I will never eat another profiterole again, the salty smell from the pastry mixture turned me right off. I’m one step closer to losing weight, just gotta avoid that 5 min chocolate mug cake lol
Wow that’s a bg chunk of apple goodness. How delicious. It’s so pretty too.
Oh wow, you know I have a recipe just like this somewhere and have been meaning to make it for years – and now you’ve jsut made the matter even more difficult!! Do I attempt it now, with such opposite views on hand? Ack!
That doesn’t look like a thousand layers…but it sure looks SO impresive!!! Sticky and sweet and beautiful!!!
Ohh i think it looks lovely. I think such experiences strengthen one’s resolve in cooking and make the end result all the more satisfying!
I have bn trying to make my own curd every night for the past few days without success. But now I am more determined than every to get it right!
But did it taste wonderful? Hope so…it looks like it did!
That looks like a beautiful Rose. I can well imagine all the effort and hours went into it, but i am sure it was well worth it. wasn’t it? You are a very patient woman! and a sweet one too.
As much pain as it caused, it looks sensational!
I admire your preseverance! It looks so fiddly with having to layer so many layers, let alone have to slice all those apples! Your efforts are well rewarded though – it looks fantastic!
Looks awesome! I am a lazy cook, I think this could be made easier with one of those slicer thingys, perhaps even leave the skins on the apples for a rustic finish, just core, slice, and sprinkle the sugar. I may just do that later this week.
kinda glad I don’t like apples now…
That really does look good though I’m not one for tooth achingly sweet desserts, I might try it out because usually all the recipes I choose to make end up being 1.5 hrs or more for prepping!
WOW!!! It is beautiful….but I will be offering my own hours of time to make this as it has NO FLOUR!! This is brilliant!! (Celiac in the house, have to alter EVERYTHING so I am thrilled when it doesn’t need altering to be gluten free) THANKS!!
I have this recipe it was in the goodweekend a couple of years ago by Andrew Mcconnell.It was a bugger to make but every one loved it and only uses
250gram sugar
50ml brandy
100g sugar
60ml lemon juice
zest one lemon
10 apples
120ml melted butter
The 250sugar ans 3tablespoons of sugar you make a caramel and coat the tin cool then line the tin with baking paper.
the remaiing sugar you mix withbrandy lemon and vanilla you use a tablespoon at a time with 1tsp of butter to one cut up apple as you go.
the top of cake stays translucent it looks beautiful and is
very dense.
sorry should read 3 tablespoons water not sugar
May I just say that I was utterly gobsmacked at all the effort spent on that cake. (All that peeling, slicing, sugaring, layering…!)
I suddenly remember the time I spent slaving over two time-intensive desserts to impress someone. It was definitely worth it.
One time I insisted on hand rolling tons and tons of tiny little tortellinis for dinner, but in my tiny kitchen I ran out of space and started stacking them on top of each other. Bad idea! they all stuck together and turned into one big pasta/meat filling mess! All I could do to salvage the chucks was to cook it all together in sauce. The end was not pretty, but still tasty.
It does sound annoying but it looks amazing. 1kg of sugar! I just get overly ambitious when people come over for dinner and then I get stressed (sigh) – like my mum and her scary salmon mousses from the eighties – eek! btw the malakoff torte was delish.
So pretty and so much effort for toffeed apples! I think I’m becoming a big fan of outsourcing,hehe!
Wow, such a coincidence! I was reading the Greg Malouf cookbook ‘Moorish’ this morning who makes a similar apple cake (no pastry!) and wanted to make it! I’ll show you the picture when we meet up soon
But that looks worth every second you spent!!!!
i think when you’re passionate about cooking, you’re always focused on getting better at it and nothing is ever quite up to scratch. just keep in mind the bigger picture, this cake looks like 3 hours well spent to me!
“Holy macaron” – I love it! This cake looks sooooo sweet as it is – a kilo of sugar would be crazy!
LOLOLOL!!! Lorraine, I just LOVE your witty, wicked sense of humour. You’re the best. The cake is stunning!!!! I’m so glad Mr NQN enjoyed it thoroughly.
))
Years ago on a Martha Stewart show she and a French female guest made a similar cake and I was intrigued.That recipe was apples,sugar cubes rubbed on an orange to absorb the oils and then 1 cube crushed on each layer of apples.The whole lot was carefully weighted down with a saucer or dessert plate and baked at a low (250?) temperature for like 12 hours.I have to do this someday and I may combine yours with hers and see what kind of mess I can make. Thank You!
I love that cake! Like the French say (they have so much wisdom!lol) “il faut souffrir pour etre belle” (one must suffer grat pains to become beautiful), so I think all this effort is worth it because the cake is unique and unforgettable.
There is nothing worse than to put all your effort into something and it was for naught. In this instance, it looks perfect, and judging by Mr NQN’s reaction, it tasted perfect.
Making the mini croquembouche was a bit of a messy affair. To make things worse, cleaning the pot I made the caramel syrup in, almost had me in tears. But it tasted so good. My worst critic, my mother, even liked it.
Not only did I laugh at your post, (for your really pretty apple cake), but the comments were equally entertaining. Someone mentioned croquembouche which is on my to do list. I can barely spell it. It will take me a 3-day weekend and then I’ll eat one and give it away. But if I get a blog picture, I’ll feel accomplished.
wow with an ingredient list like that it looks so simple doesn’t it – and it looks beautiful – but I think I would be tempted to turn it into some sort of cake filling or pie filling as I just couldn’t imagine eating through it – but maybe Mr NQN was able to help out there
This is just so pretty, and very impressive looking.
.
As far as troublesome dishes, practically ever dinner i make for mr p is troublesome. He is just so picky. I make him these curries that take hours to do and sometimes a day to marinate as well. He’s worth it though, so i keep him around
time- and labor-intensive, yes, but i think i’d probably feel as passionately about it as mr nqn. as someone who’s never called anything “too sweet,” it sounds delightful to me.
Wow, it looks amazing! I’m sure it was totally worth the effort!
awww! poor you! I hope you’ve recovered! I know the feeling of killing urself over a cake but when you see it in all its glory, with its syrup dripping down its roasted edges, its worth it, come on.
This is absolutely beautiful and sounds like the royalist of pains to make! I have made things that were absurdly complicated and time consuming, and, at the first sign of a “ooh, make this again,” I quickly burn the recipe!
Wow this is gorgeous, cake looks beautiful, love the layers of apple!
Yes, a Zuger Kirschtorte – it was a hit, but I don’t intend to make it again.
This cake has got to be one of the prettiest things I have ever seen, Lorraine – stunning!
Gorgeous… like some 19th c. Lalique piece of crystal… worth all the tribulations!
Your photos are fantastic and so is that layered apple cake! No matter how much time it took you!
There are some things that are a pain to make, but when someone you love asks for it, you just have to do it. I have a chocolate cinnamon torte that takes me half a day. And takes up way too much space in the fridge. But I make it for those I love! You would too.
wow. worth all the labour! it is beautiful and simply oozing out towards me. yum yum
holy crud that looks good!
But my gosh, the prep and cook time is outrageous!
Love it honey, one of my favourite things on a menu is apple cake and the more apple the better! At least all that time and effort you spent paid off!
The most time consuming thing i’ve ever made are macarons, the first time I made them, I swore I’d never make them again. But they’re so addictive and yummy, who can resist? =) x
It’s gorgeous! Looks like a pain to make though. I’m like you, I never read instructions properly.
Hi NQN! I cut this Buon Ricardo recipe out of a Gourmet Traveller mag several years ago and, late last year, passed it on to a friend who had acquired a huge box of granny smiths and was looking to do things with them in their lovely country pub restaurant in WA. However, we did not have the foresight to reduce the sugar up front and apparently it turned out like a giant toffee apple (I wasn’t there to see it). I felt terrible for giving my good friend such a terrible recipe recommendation given the effort it took for her to make. I believe my friend then tried the recipe a second time whith even less sugar than the 500g you used and I understand that it worked quite well. However, I couldn’t believe it when I read your blog about your similar frustrations with the recipe. Uncanny!
That’s hilarious Lorraine. It does look lovely though. I think even half a kilo of sugar (with already sweet apples) is terrifying. My teeth hurt just reading about it…! Good on you for attempting it though.
It’s hilarious that Mr NQN liked it when it seemed like such a disaster. I hope it at least partly made up for the hours of slicing!
Oh my gosh! Did the original recipe really have a kilo of sugar? That is so scary!
My most troublesome recipe was probably croissants. They were fantastic, but it took so long I doubt I’ll ever make them again!
I TWICE made hand-dipped chocolate truffles – what was I thinking?! Had to clear freezer space, chocolate everywhere AND melted chocolate wastage…probably why I haven’t made them again in 7 years! =p
Well it looks mighty good. At least it tasted great – sometimes that can make it almost worth it =D.
oh my gosh that looks so impressive! well done and I am sure you enjoyed collapsing in front of the tv after that effort! I can never be bothered with making my own pastry… I can… but, I can just never be bothered!
Hi Devaki-Thankyou so much and nice to meet you!
Hi Su-yin-Hehe I think this was a lesson learnt!
Thankyou! 
Hi Rosa-Thankyou so much!
Hi Barbara-Thanks mum! Hehe oh no, that’s the DB cake we asked you to do :S xxx
Hi fat mum slim-Yes I couldn’t believe it was supposed to be a kilo of sugar!
I think if you use one of those food processors with the slicing blade that definitely helps 
Hi Liss -Sure 2015 it is!
Oh my god, how many did you do? 
Thank!
Hi Amy-Oh yes I’ve had zucotto too and yes I totally understand that it’s so time consuming! :O Oh yay I’m so glad that you liked it and yes life is better with cake
Hi Gastronomy Gal-Hehe me too!
Hi Faith-Thankyou so much! Oh yes that’s so delicious but so time consuming!
Hi Sairis-Yes it’s way too sweet for me although you could probably try it with less sugar? He has a ferocious sweet tooth
Hi Julie-Hehe thanks! At least he enjoyed it
Yes I’m crossing my fingers too!
Hi Blond Duck-Hehe thanks Duckie!
Hi La Pastry Chef-Aww thanks darling! Yes so true isn’t it! They love sweets. Hehe thanks! Yes simple is wonderful isn’t it!
Hi sandra-Hehe true true, I felt a bit battle weary after it so perhaps I wasn’t in the best frame of mind. Thanks!
Hi snooky doodle-Hehe thankyou!
Hi Lisa-Oh yes that would be so time consuming! All those elements I agree and waiting time for cooling!
Hi Anita-Thankyou! Oh no, that’s no good!
Hi joey-Thankyou! Well I was satisfied once it was over
Hi Megan-Hehe just warn her about the time it takes and she might say yes!
Hi Alice-Yes that’s true but the placing, oh my the placing!
Good luck though and I hope you like it 
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-Thankyou! Yes you could easily halve the sugar
Haha you are too funny! 
x
Hi Bev-They sure do and I’m such a sucker for an apple dessert!
Hi matilda-Hehe aww you are too kind
Oh yes we made one and I have to agree!
Hi Marilyn-Yes zero flour!
Thankyou so much. Next time I’ll ask someone else to make it. I think that’s the secret! 
Hi Sophie-Thankyou so much!
Yes apples and custard are divine together! 
Hi lisa-Thankyou very much! Yes so true!
Hi Angela-Hehe thanks darling! Oh my that sounds amazingly complicated!
Aww they must have absolutely loved it! Xxx
Hi john-Haha the important ingredient being nerves of steel
Hi Betty-Haha yes the swearing is a good indication they like it isn’t it!
Hi Catherine-Oh great idea and lucky you!
Fantastic I hope you have a great time! 
Hi Vita-Thankyou!
Hi Y-Have you? I bet they do it in no time
Yes that basting never happened as there wasn’t much that came out. Yes good and bad! 
Hi anna-Thankyou!
Yes perhaps a once in a decade thing 
Hi Sarah-Yes sadly I’m a very impatient person!
Hi Mae-Thankyou so much! I wish I could teleport you one
HI Food Tragic-Absolutely I bet it would!
Hi BuBbles-Hehe thanks!
Hi Arunah-Oooh nice idea!
Hi Belle-Yes it was thankfully!
Yes the effort is a big but!
HI Big M-Hehe do they have to come back with all fingers intact?
Hi Naomi-Hehe or the insane (like me
)
Hi isLa-Thankyou!
Hi Cakelaw-Thanks, I don’t know why I did. Perhaps I was temporarily insane
Ahh I missed that-not a bad thing I take it!
Hi walkingcake-Ahh ok I’ll consider myself warned about that tart!
Sorry to hear about your burnt fingers! 
Hi felicia-Isn’t it just! 2.5 kilos is a lot of apple to peel
Ahh yes it isn’t really possible without one I don’t think. I’d go mental!
Hi Dani-Hehe perhaps there should be some fancy French term saying “should not be attempted unless chef is insane”
Oh two days! Sounds rather daunting but looks great!
HI laura-Oh no 5 hours and burnt fingers? You poor thing!
Haha isn’t that always the way. They tend to have no idea about what was involved huh? 
Haha yes the 5 minute mug cake definitely needs a warning attached to it. It’s too easy!
Hi Katherine-Hehe thanks Kath!
Hi Hannah-OH no sorry!
Maybe attempt it with lots of help?
Hi sophia-Haha well I didn’t count it so it’s not literal
Hi Ladybird-Thankyou! I hope so!
Oh good luck with that! I’ve heard it can be difficult!
Hi Carrie-Thanks, it was quite nice although Mr NQN liked it better!
Hi Soma-Thankyou! Ah yes I can see the rose!
Thankyou so much Soma darling!
Hi Tenina-Thankyou! I’m so glad that it looked decent in the end
Hi Rilsta-Thanks so much!
I know, there were too many time consuming parts to it I think 
Hi Jane-Ahh true about the skins but I did have a mandolin. I think it would be much easier with bigger apples and using the food processor attachment
Hi Kelley-Haha good!
Hi stephanie-yes me too. I like them sweet but not that sweet
Hi Jen-True, it’s great for people with allergies!
You’re welcome and enjoy!
Hi Amanda-That sounds like it has more ingredients than this one but a very similar method!
Hi Midge-Thankyou so much!
Oh cool, so they were suitably impressed? 
Hi Kirstin-OH no I feel your pain! I’ve done that exactly and it’s heartbreaking when you can’t separate them isn’t it! But yes it tastes great
Hi jetlagmama-Yes I used to find it really hard to relax, I just want everyone to have a good time!
Haha salmon mousse you are too funny, it sounds lovely! Ooh yay do you have a pic? I’d love to see it!
Hi Moya-Thankyou so much! Haha me too
Hi Christie-Ahh what a coincidence! Yes please do!
Hi zurin-Thanks so much!
Hi Panda-Aww thanks! I wish I had you on the other end of the phone when I was doing this!
Hi KT-Hehe thankyou!
I know, a kilo is way too much 
Hi The Little Teochew-Thanks Ju!
You are too sweet! 
Hi Penny-Wow they did that on tv? Did it take them long?
Wow baking for 12 hours? That sounds like this recipe x10! 
Wonderful!
Hi tasteofbeirut-Thankyou!
Haha yes that is true 
Hi Amy-Thankyou! I’m so thankful that he liked it although I wasn’t quite prepared to hear that it was his favourite cake!
Oh you poor thing! 
Yes isn’t that always the way!
Hi Angela-Hehe thanks! I have yet to do one. I think I’d have to train mentally for it! Haha you are so funny
Hi Johanna-Thanks so much! Oh no, that would ruin it! Not after all that work!
Hi Heavenly Housewife-Thankyou!
Wow, that is rather naughty to be picky! Haha ok well that’s what counts 
Hi grace-Hehe but I bet you would add cinnamon to it!
Thankyou!
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Thanks so much!
Hi Sweets at Vicky’s-Thankyou! I think I have although I haven’t peeled an apple since
Yes you might be right 
Hi MaryPoppinsinHeels-Thankyou so much! Hehe now that would be a clever move!
Hi Parita-Thankyou so much Parita!
Hi Patricia-Oh no, I’ll consider myself duly warned!
Thankyou so much! 
Hi deana-Thanks so much!
What a lovely comparison!
Hi Barbara-Thankyou!
I know, I don’t think I’ll make it for him this year though 
That sounds lovely! 
Hi diva-Thanks darling Diva!
Hi Artemis-Thankyou!
It’s crazy isn’t it 
Hi Mowie-Thanks sweetie!
Oh yes the lure of the mysterious macaron! I’ve felt that! 
x
Hi pigpigscorner-Thankyou!
Hehe it’s terrible isn’t it 
Hi Renee-Oh no really? What a shame!
Yes I think 1 kg is waaaay too much! Hehe isn’t it funny! I wonder if they really do use 1 kg or if it’s just a tablespoon or two on each layer and they approximate it to be 1 kg?
Hi spice and more-I know, I think it’s for the real sweet tooths out there!
Thankyou!
Hi Arwen-I know, he wasn’t around when I was cursing like a sailor
Hi Agnes-I know! I am so glad I didn’t use that much!
Oh yes I can imagine-all that layering and folding! 
Hi mlle délicieuse-Ahh you poor thing! Yes I always find I waste so much delicious, precious chocolate doing it that way!
Hi Lauren-Thankyou! Hehe it’s all much better after some time has passed
Hi sarah-Thankyou! Oh yes it may have even been in a foetal position
Puff is hard but I sometimes get tempted to make it!
I saw this and thought ooh I’ll be bakng that, so thanks for the warning, I jsut had a similar episode with gluten free croissants, just not worth the hassle! If only you could do it over!
the thousand layer cake looks amazing, however does anyone know where i can buy CHERRY PIE it is almost impossible to find, i always ask any bakery i come across if they have cherry pie, no one does, it would be wonderful to find out where i can purchase my favourite dessert.
That is one beautiful mille feuille!
Wow, that looks gorgeous and delicious. Even though it took a lot of time, I think I may have to try it.
I once spent an hour excavating the interiors of a dozen apples so that I could fill them with custard to make creme brulees. Yup, they baked in a water bath, along with the apple tops. And then they all had to be sprinkled with sugar and blow-torched before serving. It was quite labor-intensive. It was so worth it, though, not only because they looked and tasted great, but also because I served them to my parents for the last Thanksgiving I shared with them before they both passed away. They both loved soft, custardy desserts. And I was glad I could bring a smile to their faces that one last time.
Wow.. 3 hours!!! That’s dedication. Though this cake looks amazing, and has me drooling, it’s one I won’t be attempting soon!
Hi The Curious Baker-Oh yes I wouldn’t want anyone to go through the same thing! Oh you poor thing! I can imagine :S
Hi Danielle-Thankyou so much! Whereabouts are you located?
Hi Mardi -Thankyou very much Mardi!
Hi Akila-Thankyou!
I’d love to know what you think of it! 
Oh how lovely, thankyou for sharing that cherished memory with us 
Hi Carolyn-Oh that’s dedication! Did you not cut all the way down to the bottom as well so the custard woudlnt leak out? They sound fascinating!
Hi Avanika-Hehe either that or madness, I can’t figure it out. Thankyou! You’re much smarter than I!
This is beautiful! I’m totally a apple lover! LOVE THIS!
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