Caramel Apple Pecan Phyllo Crinkle Cake

I shared this recipe during a Facebook Live event for Tea For All Reasons. It's not original to me - there are many variations all over Pinterest and the original was a video posted on TikTok.  But this is the variation that I tested on my family (to rave reviews) and decided to demonstrate for our Tea For All Reasons following.

Finished Crinkle Cake with Lyle's Golden Syrup on the left and caramel sauce on the right.
We all think the Lyle's tastes the best.

It's super easy and a winner, winner, winner. And it's so open to flavor variations. You can add any kind of topping from peaches to berries and change up the nuts or add raisins. You can have any kind of flavor in the custard from lemon or warm spices to savory herbs (just leave out the sugar if you go the savory route and maybe substitute some cheese). I plan to try a savory type - when I do, I'll be sure to post that as well.

A couple of notes on the ingredients:

Apples - I used Honeycrisp, but any tart to sweet apple that is suitable for baking is recommended. I like to keep the peel on the apple for the color, but if you don't like the peel you can remove it. Slice the apple thinly - no thicker than about 1/4 inch.

Caramel Sauce - I used Smuckers - the kind that is typically used as ice cream topping. You may prefer to make your own. I'm a lazy baker, so the store-bought was my choice.

Pecans - I like the addition of the pecans, but if you have nut allergies then leave them out. You can replace them with raisins or dried currants.

Lyle's Golden Syrup - this is British so may not be in your local grocery store. The original recipe calls for a simple syrup, but as I said I'm a lazy baker. And I have used Lyle's Golden Syrup before so I knew that the flavor would work as the final drizzle over the crinkle cake. It has the consistency of Karo syrup, but the flavor is richer, almost honey-like but not honey. You could use honey, if you prefer, but the Lyle's is the perfect finishing touch, in my opinion. There is an Amazon link in the recipe below if you can't find it in your local store.

The Crinkle Cake after the apples and pecans were added and then the custard, just before going into the oven for the final bake step.

Caramel Apple-Pecan Phyllo Crinkle Cake

Serves 8-12, depending on the size of the serving

Ingredients

1 package of phyllo sheets, completely thawed

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

1 C sugar

1 C milk

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp caramel sauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 tart apples, halved and sliced thinly

1/3 C chopped pecans

1/2 C more caramel sauce or Lyle’s Golden Syrup for drizzle

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Lightly grease a 9x13 shallow baking pan.
3. Make custard with sugar, milk, eggs, caramel sauce, and vanilla. Blend well and set aside for later.
4. Slice apples in half through the core, remove the core, and then slice thinly.
5. Crinkle thawed phyllo sheets (accordion style folds), 2 at a time, and lay folds up in the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Pour melted butter evenly over baked phyllo and bake again for 10 minutes.
7. Add sliced apples between folds of phyllo and sprinkle pecans over the top.
8. Pour custard evenly over phyllo.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
10. Heat 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce or golden syrup until warm and slightly thinned (about 20-30 seconds in the microwave). Drizzle over the finished crinkle cake before serving.

Stores well in the fridge, but warm it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds when serving leftovers. Adding a small scoop of vanilla ice cream works great.