Huguenot Torte

Another unique thing about Charleston was it’s food. Over the years, I’ve shared a lot of iconic Charleston recipes here on the blog, and today we’re adding another one to the list. The Huguenot Torte is a unique dessert made up almost entirely of chopped nuts and apples. There’s a tiny bit of flour (just ¼ cup) that helps hold it all together, but the nuts and apples are the shining star in this dessert.

It is believed that the Huguenot Torte is a variation of a Midwestern dessert called Ozark Pudding.

Once again, the name is misleading – there’s nothing remotely pudding about this dessert! One story says that the dessert baker at Charleston’s Huguenot Tavern discovered this recipe at a family gathering in Texas. She brought the concept back to Charleston where she named it after the restaurant where she worked.

But enough of the backstory – let’s talk about the recipe itself! As noted above, the Huguenot Torte isn’t really a torte at all. In fact, you’ll have better luck serving this dessert with a flat spatula or even a spoon – it’s somewhat similar to a cobbler.

The filling is almost entirely made up of apples, pecans and sugar. A couple of eggs and a tiny bit of flour forms a very thin batter that helps hold the whole thing together.

The Huguenot Torte might be one of Charleston’s best kept secrets! I associate this dessert with early autumn as the nuts and apples give it a very seasonal vibe. Oh, and your house will smell amazing while this one is in the oven! I do recommend serving this dessert with a dollop of real whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do here in our house!

Huguenot Torte

A Huguenot Torte is an iconic Charleston, SC dessert that's packed with apples and pecans. It's a delicious way to celebrate fall baking season!

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 347 kcal

Ingredients

For the Torte

2 1⅓ cups ¼ cup 2½ tsp ½ tsp ¼ tsp 1 large green apple peeled, cored and diced

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1¼ cups divided 1½ tsp

For the Whipped Cream

½ cup 1 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

For the Torte

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spray a 9” square baking pan with non-stick baking spray; set pan aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed, or until eggs are frothy and light yellow in color.

Add sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, diced apples, 1 cup of chopped pecans and vanilla extract; mix until just combined.

Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. (Tip: Use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the batter before baking.

)

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and crusty.

Let torte cool for 30 minutes before serving.

For the Whipped Cream

Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar until stiff peaks form.

Divide torte onto plates and top with whipped cream and remaining ¼ cup of chopped pecans. (Tip: A large spatula is the best way to transfer this torte onto serving plates!)