Apple lattice cake (Prăjitură cu mere în coteț)

Ingredients

For the dough

• 700 g flour
• 250 g softened butter
• 5 small home-raised eggs
• 250 g sugar
• 1 packet (10 g) baking powder
• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange

For the filling

• 2500 g summer apples
• unpeeled
• 100 g sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 50 g crushed plain biscuits

Preparation

1. Mix the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the softened butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 2. Beat the eggs with the sugar until it dissolves, then add the grated zest and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the flour and knead the dough. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours. 3. Grate the apples with their skins on. Put them in a saucepan with 100 g of sugar and the cinnamon and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated. Leave the filling to cool while the dough rests in the fridge. 4. Divide the dough into three. Roll out the first piece and place it in a 30 × 40 cm baking pan. I sprinkled 25 g of crushed plain biscuits over it to absorb the apple juice. Add half the filling, roll out the second sheet and sprinkle on another 25 g of biscuits, then add the rest of the apples. Cut the last piece of dough into strips and arrange them in a lattice on top. 5. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 60 minutes, until nicely browned. Depending on the oven, baking may take more than an hour. 6. Leave the cake to cool for an hour, then cut it into pieces.