South Carolina Huguenot Torte

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
• •9-by-13-inch baking dish (glass or ceramic preferred)
• •Large rubber spatula
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, making sure to coat the corners where the torte tends to stick. Glass or ceramic works beautifully here. The Huguenot torte bakes low and slow, developing its characteristic crackled crust without browning too quickly.

   Some Charleston cooks prefer a 10-inch round pan for a taller torte. Either works, though the rectangular dish is more traditional for serving at gatherings.
2. 2

   Beat the eggs to peaks

   Crack the eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the eggs turn pale yellow and triple in volume, about 4 minutes. The eggs should hold soft peaks when you lift the whisk. This aeration is the soul of the torte. There is no butter, no oil, no shortening. Beaten eggs provide all the lift and structure.

3. 3

   Incorporate the sugar

   With the mixer running on medium speed, add the sugar in a slow, steady stream. This should take a full minute. Once incorporated, increase to medium-high and beat until the mixture turns glossy and thick, resembling a pale ribbon when you lift the whisk, another 3 to 4 minutes. You're building a meringue-like base that will give the torte its distinctive chewy interior and shatteringly crisp top.

4. 4

   Add dry ingredients

   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix just until no white streaks remain, about 15 seconds. The flour content is minimal by design. This is not a cake in the traditional sense.

5. 5

   Prepare the apples

   Peel and core the apples, then cut into small dice, about 1/4-inch pieces. You want them fine enough to distribute evenly but large enough to maintain their texture after baking. Tart varieties are essential. A sweet apple will make a cloying torte. Granny Smiths are the standard in Charleston kitchens, though any firm, tart apple serves the purpose.

   Work quickly once the apples are cut. They'll brown if left to sit, though a squeeze of lemon juice buys you time if needed.
6. 6

   Fold in apples and pecans

   Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the diced apples, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract. Work gently in broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl upward, turning the bowl as you go. The batter is voluminous but delicate. Aggressive stirring will deflate it. The apples and nuts should be evenly suspended throughout.

7. 7

   Bake until set

   Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly with the spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top turns deep golden brown with dramatic cracks across the surface, and the center no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The torte will puff dramatically in the oven, then collapse slightly as it cools. This is correct.

8. 8

   Cool completely

   Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the torte cool completely in the pan, at least 1 hour. It will continue to sink and crack as it cools. The texture transforms as it rests: the top becomes crisp and crackled like meringue while the interior turns chewy and dense with fruit and nuts. Resist the urge to cut it warm. Patience serves you here.

9. 9

   Prepare the cream

   Pour the cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl. Using a whisk or hand mixer, beat on medium-high until the cream begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, then continue beating until the cream holds soft, billowing peaks. Stop before it turns stiff. You want clouds, not butter.

   Chill your bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes before whipping. Cold equipment makes the job easier and produces more stable cream.
10. 10

    Serve with ceremony

    Cut the torte into squares or rectangles. Place each portion on a dessert plate and crown with a generous dollop of whipped cream. In Charleston, the cream is considered mandatory, not optional. The cool richness against the chewy, nutty torte is the point of the exercise. Some hosts dust with powdered sugar, though this is gilding the lily.

Chef Tips

• •Source pecans from Southern suppliers if you can. Georgia and South Carolina pecans have a buttery sweetness that imported varieties lack. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet for deeper flavor.
• •The torte keeps beautifully at room temperature for two days, covered loosely with foil. The texture actually improves overnight as the sugars develop a slight caramel quality.
• •For a Lowcountry touch, fold a tablespoon of good bourbon into your whipped cream. Charleston hostesses have been doing this for generations.
• •If your apples are exceptionally sweet, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the batter to restore the necessary tartness.
• •The torte can be baked in individual ramekins for an elegant presentation. Reduce baking time to 25 to 30 minutes and watch carefully.

Advance Preparation

• •The torte can be baked one day ahead and stored at room temperature, loosely covered. Add whipped cream just before serving.
• •Whipped cream can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Give it a quick whisk before serving to restore volume.
• •Pecans can be toasted and chopped up to 3 days ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 290g)