Indulge in Apple Cloud: a no‑bake delight you can enjoy all year round

Typically, the cloud is associated with a raspberry flavor. However, the classic recipe has been adapted to include different main ingredients. One of my personal favorites is the apple variation. The readily available nature of apples allows me to indulge in this dessert all year round. It's a family favorite and one slice is usually not enough.

You can prepare the Apple Cloud dessert either traditionally, with a crumbly crust and a meringue topping, or no-bake, using biscuits as the base. If you prefer, the meringue topping could be omitted or replaced with a store-bought layer or small bakery meringue.

Ingredients:

For the crumbly crust:

• 3 egg yolks,
• 1 ounce sugar powder,
• 5.3 ounces flour,
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder,
• 3.5 ounces cold butter.

For the filling:

• 2.9 pounds of apples,
• 2 lemon jellies,
• 2 - 3.4 US fluid ounces of water.

For the cream:

• 8.8 ounces chilled mascarpone,
• 16.9 ounces of 36% heavy cream (well chilled),
• 3 tablespoons of sugar powder.

For the meringue:

• 3 egg whites,
• 5.3 ounces sugar,
• 2 teaspoons of potato starch.

Procedure:

1. Combine the cold butter and flour with a knife.
2. Add the egg yolks and sugar powder, then knead the mixture into a shortcrust. Form a ball with the dough and refrigerate it for an hour.
3. Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks, gradually adding the sugar. Stir in the potato starch at the end.
4. Spread the meringue onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for roughly 1 hour at 284 degrees Fahrenheit, until the meringue is crisp. Extend the baking time if required. Once cooled, carefully remove the meringue from the tray.
5. Line a baking tray with the chilled dough and baking paper (you can reuse the one from the meringue). Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate it for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat your oven to 374 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake the crust for 18 minutes. Set aside to cool.
7. Peel the apples and cut them into cubes. Simmer them in water until they soften, stirring intermittently. Blend the softened apples into a smooth puree.
8. Stir the jellies into the apple puree. Allow the mixture to cool.
9. Spread the cooled apple-jelly mixture onto the crust and refrigerate it.
10. Whisk together the mascarpone, cream, and sugar.
11. Spread the cream mixture over the apple puree and top it with the meringue.

Garnish the finished dessert with roasted almonds if you wish. Enjoy!