This apple custard cake Parisienne is a delight: a crisp pastry case, a firm gently spiced apple filling and a fragrant vanilla custard topping. It’s straightforward to make and especially satisfying because you get to work with soft, pliable pastry.

I had a surplus of apples to use up and a craving for something custardy and cakey. A quick search for apple custard cake Parisienne provided the inspiration, although many recipes online are very similar. I found some versions overly sweet and calling for more apples than would comfortably fit the tin, so I weighed and measured ingredients to get the balance right.

If you’d like to make this cake, follow the recipe below.

Apple custard cake Parisienne recipe

You will need a greased 20–23 cm springform tin or a similar tin with a removable base. Preheat the oven to 175°C with the shelf in the middle.

Ingredients

Base

1 kg dessert apples, peeled, cored and sliced
100 g butter, melted (or vegetable oil if preferred)
2 eggs, beaten
100 g caster sugar
250 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1–2 tsp mixed spice

Custard

50–100 g caster sugar to taste (75 g used here)
100 g butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

Method

Line the baking tin with greaseproof paper or baking parchment, extending the paper up the sides of the tin — this makes it easier to lift the cake out once it has cooled.

Peel and slice the apples and keep them in acidulated water (water with a little lemon juice) to prevent browning while you prepare the rest. To save time you can slice the apples from the core without coring each piece individually.

Beat together the melted butter, eggs and caster sugar. Sift the flour with the baking powder into the wet mixture and combine until you have a soft, squidgy dough or pastry; using your hands helps to bring it together evenly.

Press the pastry into the lined tin to form a case, bringing it up the sides as you would when shaping clay. Make sure the base and sides are even and there are no large gaps.

Layer the apple slices into the pastry case, sprinkling mixed spice over the apples as you go. Pack the apples reasonably tightly so you don’t leave large voids.

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 175°C.

While the cake bakes, mix the custard ingredients together and distribute the vanilla seeds evenly through the mixture.

After the initial 75 minutes of baking, remove the cake and pour the custard mixture over the top. Return the cake to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden.

Allow the cake to cool thoroughly in the tin before removing and serving. Cooling helps the custard to set properly and makes slicing easier.

Serve slices at room temperature. The combination of crisp pastry, spiced apple and creamy vanilla custard is best enjoyed fresh, and the cake keeps well for a day or two if stored in an airtight container.

Let me know how it turns out and whether you adjusted the sugar or spice to suit your taste.