By Heidi Sutton

Share a sweet way to complete your St. Patrick’s Day meal in style with Irish Apple Cake, a classic dessert to top off a filling celebration. This version is easy enough to prepare with a handful of everyday ingredients for the cake, a crumbly topping and homemade custard for the finishing touch. The best part? It’s equally as scrumptious for breakfast as it is an after-dinner dessert. Serve it with a delicious cup of Maple Irish Coffee any leprechaun would approve of.

Irish Apple Cake

YIELD: Makes 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1 stick butter, cubed

3/4 cup sugar

4 apples of choice, peeled and cubed

2 eggs

1 cup half-and-half

Topping:

1/2 stick butter

3/4 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

Custard:

6 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and flour 9-inch round springform pan.

To make cake: In large bowl, sift flour with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. Using fork, cut butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Add sugar and apples; mix well. Stir in eggs and half-and-half until mixture reaches thick, dough-like batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.

To make topping: In bowl, mix butter, flour and sugar to create crumbled mixture. Sprinkle on top of batter in pan. Bake 1 hour. Check with toothpick to make sure middle is completely done. If not, bake 5-10 minutes. Let cool on rack.

To make custard: Whisk egg yolks and sugar. In saucepan, bring half-and-half to boil. Add one spoonful half-and-half at a time to egg mixture, whisking while adding. Once whisked together, return to saucepan and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Serve custard over cake.

Maple Irish Coffee

YIELD: Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup hot coffee

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons whiskey

1 tablespoon half-and-half

1 teaspoon maple extract

DIRECTIONS: 

Stir coffee and brown sugar in mug. Add whiskey, half-and-half and extract; mix well. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream and maple sugar, if desired.