Apple Cake with Crackly Meringue

==Ingredients==
* 10 oz all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
* 10½ oz sugar, (about 1½ cups)
* pinch of salt
* 1½ sticks unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
* ¾ cup milk
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 2 tsp lemon zest
* 1 tbsp baking powder
* 2 large Granny Smith apples
* 1 large egg white
* 3 tbsp flour
* 2 tbsp sugar
==Directions==
# Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 °F.
# Grease and flour a 9-inch spring-form pan.
# In a large bowl, add salt, butter, 2 cups flour, and ½ cup sugar.
# Cut in butter with your fingers or with a pastry blender until crumbly.
# Remove 1 cup of the crumbs and press them over the bottom and about ½ inch up the sides of the spring-form pan, making a crust about ⅛ inch thick.
# Make a well in the remaining crumb mixture.
# Add the milk, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, the remaining 3 tbsp flour, and the baking powder.
# With a whisk, blend this mixture thoroughly, without incorporating the crumbs.
# Then, with a wooden spoon stir in the crumbs until well blended but still a little lumpy.
# Core, peel and chop apples into ½ inch pieces, then fold the apples into the mixture.
# Scrape the batter into the pan.
# In a small bowl, beat the egg white until foamy.
# Beat in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and beat until the whites barely stand in peaks.
# Spread over the top of the batter.
# Bake 65 – 75 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
# Remove from the oven and cool 30 minutes on a wire rack.
# Slip off the sides of the pan and finish cooling the cake.
# Serve at room temperature. 
# Covered in plastic wrap, the cake holds well at cool room temperature up to 2 days. It keeps a week in the refrigerator. Either way, warming it in the oven makes it even tastier.
# Easy to move around and heat if you leave it on the pan base (when cold, put in a cold oven on a tray, set temperature to 350 °F. Turn off oven when temperature reaches 350 °F).
# Delicious served alone, but one could add whipped cream.
Category:Panamanian Desserts
Category:Cake Recipes
Category:Granny Smith apple Recipes
Category:Egg Recipes
Category:Egg white Recipes
Category:Lemon peel Recipes
Category:Milk and cream Recipes
Category:Recipes that need photos