Æblekage, the Danish term for a dish found throughout Scandinavia, translates as apple cake – rather misleadingly, because there’s no baking involved, unless you count the breadcrumbs that are traditionally scattered between the layers. That said, the Norwegian name, tilslørte bondepiker, means “veiled peasant girls”, which is even more confusing, given that the dish sits somewhere between a trifle and a charlotte. Perhaps the Swedish änglamat, or angel food, is the best description, because, as Signe Johansen writes in her book Scandilicious Baking, this “unusual combination” of ingredients “works so well – the apples are just sweet enough and fragrant with cinnamon, while the caramelised breadcrumbs add crunch and flavour”. This makes for a dish that is indeed “much fresher-tasting” than a traditional trifle, and perfect for marking the end of summer. Plus, it makes good use of both seasonal fruit and stale bread, so you get a lot of bang for your buck.
