The French Laundry Apple Kuchen

You guys this is one of my most favorite things ever. It is so delicious and really simple and while the sauce is fucking fantastic, there is no need for it.

Apple Kuchen from The French Laundry Resturant

6 tablespoons (3 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus butter for baking pan
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup milk or light cream
(Note: I add vanilla)

3 to 4 apples I tend toward honey crisp, pink lady and braeburn

Cinnamon sugar to dust on top: 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Hot Cream Sauce

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (4 oz.) unsalted butter

For the kuchen:

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
NOTE: I use a springform pan.

In a mixer bowl or by hand in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, together until the mixture is fluffy and lightened in texture. Add the egg.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients and the milk alternately to the butter mixture. Do not overbeat; mix just until the ingredients are combined.

Peel and core the apples. Slice them into 1/4-inch wedges.

I slice as thin as possible. And I don't peel. And I shove as many apples as possible in this cake.

Spoon the batter into the pan. Press the apple slices, about 1/4 inch apart and core side down, into the batter, working in a circular pattern around the outside edge (like the spokes of a wheel). Sprinkle the kuchen with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester or skewer inserted in the center of the kuchen comes out clean. Set on a rack to cool briefly, or let cool to room temperature.

For the hot cream sauce:

Combine the cream, sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat (to reduce the chances of scorching or boiling over) and let the sauce simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, to reduce and thicken slightly. Serve the hot sauce with the kuchen.

Images swirly patterned apples, uncooked apples, same Kuchen then cooked USE ALL THE APPLES!