Apple Sambuk – Russian apple cream

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 4 apples
• 50 ml wine (Malaga)
• 5 carnations
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 6 sheets of gelatin
• 200 ml sweet cream

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 5 hours 10 minutes

uncomplicated yet delicious dessert

Peel and quarter the apples, and remove the cores. Place them in a lidded dish with the Malaga, cloves, and cinnamon, and simmer in a covered oven at 160°C for about 40 minutes until soft. When the apples are soft, remove the cloves and puree the apples with a hand blender. Whisk in the sugar until completely dissolved. Chill the applesauce in the refrigerator. Add the egg whites to the cooled mixture and beat with a mixer until the mixture has at least doubled in size. Soften the gelatin, squeeze out the excess water, and dissolve it in a little hot water. Slowly pour it into the apple cream, stirring constantly. Refrigerate until it sets. If liquid has formed at the bottom, blend again until the Sambuk has a consistently foamy consistency. Whip the cream until stiff peaks and carefully fold it into the apple foam. Pour into serving molds and let it set in the refrigerator. Briefly dip the molds in hot water and serve the Sambuk upside down. Older versions of the recipe simply stew the apples in water. Adding cream isn’t required either. In newer versions, the egg whites are beaten separately and simply folded in. However, I find this results in a less airy consistency.