This recipe was posted a while ago (2012!) but it is an absolutely delightful recipe that we felt needed sharing again! Apple and Cheese is a popular combination (think an apple on a Ploughman's lunch, or the American classic of apple pie with cheese pastry). You can make this with any hard creamy cheese really, but we think our Kielder works especially beautifully, as it is so creamy. Try it, and send us your pictures!

Ingredients for Northumberland Cheese and Apple Cake:

8oz/225g Plain Flour

8oz/225g Caster Sugar

2 tsp Baking Powder

1Ѕ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

Ѕ tsp Salt

2 Eating Apples Grated

2oz/60g Chopped Walnuts

2oz/60g Chopped Dates

4 Eggs

1.25cups/300ml Sunflower Oil

125g Kielder Cheese

 

For the icing:

100g butter, softened

300g cream cheese

100g icing sugar , sifted

1 tsp apple juice (from the grated apple)

 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease a 1kg loaf tin with butter or baking paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, castor sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl beat together the eggs with the oil until well mixed. Grate the apples in a bowl, squeeze out any excess juice and retain in a glass. Add the grated apple, dates and walnuts to the egg and oil mixture and stir. Gradually fold the wet mixture into the flour mix and stir to combine thoroughly. Pour half the batter mix into the loaf tin and sprinkle over 100g of grated or crumbled Kielder. Pour the remaining mix over the top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on your cake; if it is looking too brown on top cover with tin foil for the remainder of the baking time. The icing is easy peasy- beat together the butter and cream cheese, sift in the flour and add a teaspoon of the apple juice (that hopefully you saved rather than drank earlier on) and taste. Add more or less icing sugar depending on your sweet tooth. Once your cake has cooled completely top with the icing and a hand full of grated Northumberland Kielder Cheese. Enjoy with a proper pot of English tea! 
 

(pictured is a Cheese and Apple Cake made by Carole, one of our extremely talented farmer's market staff!)