Apple-berry soft cake w/whole spelt

I grabbed this recipe book in a magazine shop in Udine, Italy. Rushed by husbands and kids, in front of a wall of publications, I wanted to scream! I took two books. I managed not spend over 10 Euros...as I was on my way to a large store next door with walls of sunglasses.

Recipe adapted from Torte e Sfoglie della Tradizione
time: 20 min preparation + 1 hr baking + 30 min cooling

ingredients

• 700 g (1.5 lbs) apples
• 115 g (5 oz) blueberries
• 200 g (1 2/3 cups) spelt flour
• 200 ml (5/6 cups) almond milk or any milk
• 180 g (5/6 cups) sugar
• 3 eggs separated yolks from whites
• 4 g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• grated zest from 1 medium lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Prepare a baking dish. 
2. Peal, core and slice apples in thin half-moons. 
3. In a bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, beat egg yolks, sugar, pinch of salt and lemon zest for 2 min of high. Add flour mixed with baking powder. Add milk and vanilla extract. Combine it all. 
4. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold slowly and gently beaten egg whites, apples and berries into the mixing bowl. 
5. Pour everything into a prepared baking dish. Bake for about 1 hour. Take it out and let it cool in the baking form for at least 30 minutes.

notes

• the original recipe had regular flour and cow's milk
• tight-flesh apples with a definite taste bake the best
• spraying lemon juice on apple pieces prevents from darkening
• the sweeter the apples the less sugar to be used; I could have added less
• I used a glass 26x17x6 cm (10x7x2 inch)-baking dish lined with parchment paper
• cake needs cooling time to firm up
• it will taste like apples you pick