Apple Cake with Quark Cream and Caramel

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CAKE BASE

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 170˚C (top and bottom heat). Prepare a cake tin with a diameter of 20 - 24 cm (the smaller the tin and the more batter in one tin, the longer the baking time) and line the bottom with baking paper. You can also use two smaller tins (22 – 20 cm), but then shorten the baking time.
• 2
  Separate the egg whites and yolks. Whisk the sugars with butter and oil, and beat in the yolks one at a time.
• 3
  In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• 4
  Gradually alternate whisking the flour mixture and kefir into the yolk mixture.
• 5
  Gently fold in the nuts with a spatula.
• 6
  Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula.
• 7
  Finally, gently fold in the apple again with a spatula.
• 8
  Spread the batter into the prepared tin (or tins) and bake for about 50 minutes in one larger tin or 40 minutes (in two smaller tins). We baked in one small tin with a diameter of 20 cm, and the cake base baked for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check according to the color of the cake base and after 40 minutes, test if the cake base is baked. Touch the center of the cake base with your hand, press lightly, and shake the batter; you will feel if it is firm or not yet. If it is firm, try the skewer test – insert it into the center of the cake base. After pulling it out, there may be crumbs on it, but not liquid batter. If the top of the cake base browns too much but is not yet done, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
• 9
  After removing from the oven, let the cake base cool slightly (about 15 minutes), cut it out of the tin, and turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLE-PEAR JELLY

• 1
  Mix apples and pears with a little water, sugar, spices, and lemon juice, and cook until soft. Add rum. Take part of the mixture (about 1/3) and blend with a hand blender (practically to the consistency of applesauce). Return it to the rest of the apple mixture.
• 2
  Soak the gelatin in cold water and let it soften. Add it to the warm apple mixture and stir.
• 3
  Let it cool in the fridge covered with cling film.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CARAMEL WITH SOUR CREAM

• 1
  Put the sugar in a high saucepan and pour a little water over it (just enough for the sugar to absorb moisture, not to float). Heat on medium heat until it caramelizes (do not stir).
• 2
  Meanwhile, heat the sour cream with honey in a bowl in the microwave (I heated it gradually 4 times for about 15 seconds each).
• 3
  Once the sugar is caramelized, carefully stir in the warm sour cream with honey. Be careful, the mixture will tend to rise in the pot.
• 4
  Once the mixture is combined, stir in the butter and salt and let it cool in the fridge.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR QUARK-CREAM CREAM

• 1
  Drain any water from the quark. Whisk all the ingredients to a creamy consistency (do not overwhip, as there is cream and it could start to curdle).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

• 1
  Take the caramel out of the fridge in advance so it is not completely solid.
• 2
  Cut the cake base into 3 parts (or each of the two smaller ones in half). Spread a thin layer of caramel on the first part (divide the amount so that you have enough for the individual layers and for a small decoration on the surface of the cake – you will need about 4 teaspoons there), make a circle of cream around the edge (ideally with a piping bag with a cut-off tip) and spread part of the jelly in the middle (divide it according to whether you have 3 or 4 layers of cake base). Spread a thin layer of cream on the jelly as well.
• 3
  Cover with the second part of the cake base and repeat the process. Once you have placed the last part of the cake base, spread the entire surface of the cake with cream.
• 4
  Spread 4 teaspoons of the remaining caramel on top of the cake so that they are not connected, and with a decorating spatula or a table knife or spoon, smear in one stroke in the same direction along an imaginary circle.
• 5
  Wash the physalis, dry them, and separate a few pieces from the leaves and place them on the caramel spots. If you have any caramel left, dip a few physalis berries in it and place them on the cake coated in caramel.