Cousin's nutty apple pie redefines fall flavors with peanut flour

When my cousin invited me for apple pie, I thought she would surely bake a classic one with a shortcrust pastry. However, she surprised me with a completely different take, blending apples and nuts, which turned out to be spot on. For me, it's the best set of autumn flavors!

In the fall, we love apple pies. Each of us has our favorite additions to them—whether it's meringue, custard, or a large amount of crumble. My cousin, however, went for nuts. But she didn't add them to the apple filling; she added them to the dough.

For me, the less dough in an apple pie, the better. However, in this case, the dough prepared with the addition of ground nuts is an exception. It's delicious, aromatic, and perfectly complements the taste of apples. You can use walnuts or replace them with peanut flour.

Peanut flour is made by grinding partially defatted peanuts. Sometimes it is roasted to achieve a more distinct flavor and drier consistency. This type of flour is quite heavy, moist, and brown in color. Its taste can be described as sweet with a distinct nutty note. It is low in carbohydrates and gluten-free. It contains a lot of protein, fiber, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, B vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and selenium. It is great for all kinds of sweet baked goods.

Dough:

              
• 6 eggs,
• 6 ounces of peanut flour or ground walnuts,
• 4 ounces of sugar,
• 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs,
• 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour,
• 2 tablespoons of semolina,
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder,
• a pinch of salt.

Apple filling:

          
• 4.4 pounds of apples,
• 3.4 ounces of water,
• 2 packets of lemon or gooseberry jelly,
• 3 tablespoons of sugar,
• juice of half a lemon,
• half a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Additionally:

    
• tea with lemon to soak the dough,
• a handful of walnuts for decoration,
• grated dark chocolate for decoration, optional.

Preparation method:

                
1. Whip the eggs on high speed until light and fluffy. At the end of whipping, add the sugar.
2. Reduce the mixer speed and add the peanut flour or ground nuts mixed with all-purpose flour, semolina, breadcrumbs, salt, and baking powder. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Place it in an oven preheated to 350°F and bake in conventional mode for 25 minutes.
4. Cut the cooled cake into two equal layers.
5. Peel the apples, cut them into quarters, core them, and grate them on a coarse grater. Transfer them to a pan and simmer over medium heat until soft. Add the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Dissolve the jellies in 3.4 ounces of hot water. Remove the apples from the heat, pour in the hot jelly, and mix. Let the mixture cool until it begins to thicken slightly.
7. Soak the cake layers with tea.
8. Spread the thickening apple mousse on one layer, smooth it out, and cover with the second layer.
9. Put the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours. Before serving, decorate it with chopped walnuts and grated chocolate.