Let me start with the realization in my 60’s that I always thought I loved apple pie, because my mother loved apple pie and I always made it for her, therefore I should love it. I like it, but it actually doesn’t fall into the love category. There are so many other flavors of pie I’d much rather have. (Kind of like NYC – I grew up there and always thought I loved it – until I visited it for the umpteenth time as an adult and realized that I really didn’t like it that much). Anyways, I digress. This dessert combines the goodness of the apple middle of apple pie with a cake like crust that keeps the middle moist and delicious but not loosey goosey. A Polish apple cake, it is just one more of the successes I’ve had in the Baking With Dorie cookbook (which I cannot recommend highly enough). And top it with homemade vanilla ice cream (flavored mine with brandy), and this is as close to heaven as it gets.
