METHOD

1. Pain d’épices

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC.
• Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, and place the cake tins on the tray.
• In a small saucepan over a low heat, warm the spice, vanilla, orange zest, honey and milk to about 50ºC. Do not boil. (This is the right temperature to activate the baking powder and start the infusion.)
• In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs and sugar. Add the warm spiced milk and whisk well.
• In a separate bowl mix the baking powder and flour and, using a whisk, fold them into the egg-milk mixture. When the mixture is smooth, divide it equally between the two rings.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, and leave to cool on the tray. Release from the ring, sliding a knife blade around the edge. Trim the pain d’épices to make them level and about 1½ cm thick. Clean the rings and replace them around the pain d’épices.
• Slide a thin cake board under each pain d’épices and lift onto the work surface. Reserve.

2. For the caramel crémeux

• In a small saucepan on a high heat, cook the 75g sugar to a smoking point. You will now have a dark caramel.
• Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the hot water followed by the hot milk (to prevent the milk from curdling), then stir to ensure it is fully dissolved.
• In a medium bowl, mix the yolks with the remaining sugar and cornflour.
• Whisk in the milk caramel and return to a clean saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a spatula.
• Remove from the heat, pour into a small jug and leave to cool to 45-50ºC. Using a hand blender, blend in the butter until completely smooth. This will give a perfect creamy texture.
• Place two 13cm rings on a tray lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone baking mat. Pour the crémeux 1cm deep into 2 x 13cm rings. Freeze for 2-3 hours to set. Once frozen, remove the crémeux from the rings and return to the freezer until required.

3. For the caramelised apple slices and glaze

• Peel, core and slice the apples into ½ cm slices.
• In a large saucepan on a medium heat, bring the sugar to a golden caramel and add the cold butter. It will emulsify and bind with the hot caramel. Carefully pour in the Calvados.
• Add the apple slices, cover with a lid, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the apples are soft.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.
• Divide the apples and caramel into two bowls. In a jug blender, blend the first half to a smooth purée and reserve for the glaze.
• Keep the remainder of the apples and cooking liquid to build the cake.

4. For the poached apple slices

• Cut the apple from top to bottom 1cm either side of the core. This should leave you with two perfect semi-circles of apple, free from any core.
• In a small, covered saucepan on a medium heat, bring the water, sugar and vitamin C powder to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the freshly sliced apple, cover and leave to cool for 15 minutes. The apple slices must be barely cooked. Drain and reserve.

5. For the mousse

• Start by peeling, coring and cutting the apples into 1cm chunks.
• Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water and leave them to soften.
• In a medium saucepan on a medium heat, cook the diced apple with the vitamin C, 20g sugar and lemon juice for 10 minutes until the apples are completely soft.
• In a jug blender, purée the apple until smooth. Cool the purée in a bowl sitting on iced water for 8-10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks and fold in the cold apple purée.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining sugar and water to the boil and cook to 120ºC (check this with a thermometer).
• Using an electric whisk on a high speed, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Reduce the speed and add the syrup, pouring it between the side of the bowl and the whisk. Whisk for 1 minute at full Squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and add them.
• Continue to whisk on a medium speed until cool, then fold the meringue into the apple purée and cream mixture.