Apple cakes are found on many German menus but apparently this is one of the best. It was more like a cold crumble than a cake and was much lighter and more refreshing than the dessert we know. The addition of the schnapps is amazing, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t have any. This dish would be great for a sunny alfresco dessert for when the weather is getting nice and warm.
Add the apples and sugar to a saucepan with the water and stir. Cover with a lid and simmer gently. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the apples are soft, remove from the heat. Taste to see if it is sweet enough and stir in more sugar if needed. Set aside to chill.
Grate some lemon rind from about half of the lemon and stir into the apple. Taste again to see if it is lemony enough.
For the crumble, line a baking tray with baking paper.
Add the butter, flour and sugar to a bowl and mix together. Using your hands, rub together some of the mixture between your fingertips. Repeat this process until the mixture looks crumbly.
Spread the crumble mix on the tray and bake for 15minutes or until golden and crunchy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Spoon the apple mix into four glasses, followed by a tablespoon of the berry schnapps and top with a generous helping of the crumble mix.
Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of the shaved almonds to serve.
