Polish · Authentic-ish Polish
Szarlotka Polish Apple Cake
329 kcal a serving, against 427 for the traditional version. That is 98 kcal off, or 23%, with 6.2g of protein. Serves 8. 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling.
What the traditional version is
Classic szarlotka starts with a buttery shortcrust - equal parts butter and plain flour, a bit of sugar and egg - pressed thick into a tin, sometimes with a top crust.
What changed, and what each change costs
Halved the butter in the pastry and swapped in fat-free Greek yoghurt
Butter is what gives the traditional pastry its short, crumbly texture and rich flavour, but it's also where most of the calories come from. Using yoghurt gives back the moisture and some tenderness, but it doesn't pretend to be butter.
What it costs you. You lose half the buttery taste and the base bakes up more like a cakey shortbread than actual shortcrust. If you want the pastry that shatters when you cut it, this won't do it.
Reduced the sugar in the filling by 60g
Most Polish apples are sharp - tart, even - but the classic approach is to drown them in sugar. That's comforting, but unnecessary unless your apples are only fit for cider.
What it costs you. Less sticky, a bit less luxurious, but you actually taste the fruit. If apples aren't great, you'll notice.
Skipped the top pastry crust
Nobody actually needs two thick layers of shortcrust. Leaving the top off means more filling for your bite, and less flour and fat overall.
What it costs you. It looks less traditional and you miss the crunch of that top layer. It's less picnic-proof: don't try packing a slice with no lid in your bag unless you enjoy cleaning up apple schmear.
Reduced icing sugar dusting
A thick layer of icing sugar looks pretty but doesn't do much for flavour or, frankly, for keeping your shirt clean.
What it costs you. Nobody notices this unless they're six years old.
Added extra lemon juice
It wakes up the apples and covers for the missing sugar. A sharper filling gives you more flavour without more fat.
What it costs you. Slightly more tang than the original - if you like it sweeter, you can always add more sugar back in and live with the consequences.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 427 | 329 |
| Protein | 5.1g | 6.2g |
| Fat | 16.4g | 8.8g |
| Saturated fat | 9.8g | 5g |
| Carbohydrate | 67g | 58g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.2g | 1.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Polish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk, eggs.
The method is in the book
If you grew up on your gran's version, this is going to taste a bit less rich, and nobody's calling it shortcrust in Paris. But for something you can actually eat after a meal, it's a fair trade. The first bite is all apple, lemon and a gentle hint of cinnamon, not just a mouthful of pastry. If you miss the extra sugar, you're allowed to sprinkle more on - just don't tell anyone I said that. The base is softer and a bit more cake-like, but you can still eat it out of hand if you're careful. If you want the proper crumbly, buttery top and bottom, you'll have to make the real thing and start looking for elasticated waistbands.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Polish, along with 56 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.