Blackberry & Apple Mallow Traybake

Dainty sponge bites packed with fruit and topped with crunchy almonds and a light meringue whirl

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 16 squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  207

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  21g

• Fat

  12g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  17g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 140g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little for greasing
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg and 2 yolks, beaten together
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 100g self-raising flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or ½ ground)
• 1 large Bramley apple, about 200g, peeled and sliced (to give about 140g)
• 125g blackberries (avoid 'dessert' blackberries, as they lack bite)
• For the mallow and to finish
• 25g blackberries
• 100g white caster sugar, plus 1 tsp for the ripple
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp toasted flaked almond
• a little icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Directions

1. First make the blackberry sauce to ripple through the mallow. Put the berries and 1 tsp sugar in a small bowl and cover with cling film. Microwave for 30 secs on High. Alternatively, add 1 tsp water then soften in a pan over a low heat. Mash well until saucy, then leave to cool.
2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of a 23cm square traybake tin, leaving some overhang. Using electric beaters or a hand whisk, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until very pale and creamy, then beat in the egg and yolks, followed by the vanilla. Mix the flour, almonds, baking powder, nutmeg and a pinch of salt, then fold into the fluffy mix to make a very thick batter.
3. Fold in the apple, then spoon into the tin and smooth over the top. Scatter with the blackberries, poke them in just a little, then bake for 45 mins until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. After removing, leave the oven on.
4. For the mallow topping, you'll need a large piping bag with a 1cm nozzle, or a food bag with a corner snipped off. Whisk the egg whites, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to stiff peaks. Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well after each spoonful, to make a shiny, stiff meringue. Ripple with the cooled blackberry mix, then spoon into the bag. Pipe 16 evenly spaced, walnut-sized meringues on top of the cake (you'll have some left over), scatter with the toasted almonds, then bake for 10-12 mins until the meringues are just set. Cool in the tin for 30 mins, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Add a dusting of icing sugar, if you like, then cut into squares.

Categories: Cakes & Baking, Fruit, Seasonal