Jablečný makovec is a poppy seed and apple cake that you can make with delicious quark cheese topping or in a simple version.
In summer, before the apples fully ripen, some of them start falling of the trees a bit prematurely. One of the ways I like to use them is the so-called jablečný makovec which means “apple poppy seed cake”. It is a very Czech thing to cook with poppy seed and I really like poppy seed desserts. In fact, I have a whole Poppy Seed Recipe category on the blog.
You can make this recipe just with poppy seed and apple, I like to add also the tvaroh (quark cheese) mixture on top, this is also quite a traditional Czech combination seed especially in Koláče.
Jablečný Makovec – Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g of ground poppy seed
- 150 g of caster sugar
- 3 medium apples
- 5 eggs
- 2 tbsp of plain flour
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 120 ml of sunflower or rapeseed oil
Topping
- 250 g of tvaroh
- 3 tbsp of caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 10 tbsp of milk
- 1 package (37 g) of vanilla pudding in powder
Coating
- grease
- coarse flour
How to make Jablečný makovec
Separate egg whites from yolks. In a bowl, combine poppy seed, flour, sugar, baking powder, yolks and oil. Peel and grate the apples and add them to the mix. Beat the egg whites to peaks and add them as well. Don’t stir them in too fast but rather slowly putting the spoon deep in the mixture and lifting it up or making a motion resembling the number 8. If you stir too fast, the egg whites will loose the air and the mixture won’t be as fluffy.
Coat the baking mold with grease and coarse flour and pour in the batter.
Combine all the ingredients for topping and carefully spread them over the poppy seed layer.
I am using a ceramic baking pan that’s a bit small for this cake and the batter has a chance of coming out of the pan while baking. If I had skipped the topping it would have been fine but if you can, use a mold in which the batter doesn’t reach the edge when you pour it in.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 40 minutes. Let Jablečný makovec cool down completely before serving, it will be more solid than when hot.
