Apple Pie in Cast Iron Skillet?

Oh pshaw, on Sat 03 Nov 2007 09:21:22p, Jen meant to say...

Jen,

I see no reason why you couldn't do this. I would just lightly grease the skillet. Pie pastry, by its very nature, is a short dough and should preclude sticking. You bottom crust should brown nicely, since the cast iron would hold the heat well.

I'm more of a bread guy than a pie man, but I do have a few years of playing with cast iron under my belt.

Cast iron distributes heat very evenly, but also very slowly. As a result, I'd worry that the top crust would be done long before the bottom. Enough so, that I don't know if covering the top with foil would be enough. When I make corn bread in a cast iron skillet, I always preheat the skillet to make sure the bottom is nice and crisp and doesn't stay wet. I don't think I'd like to drop a pie crust into a pre-heated red-hot cast iron skillet - you only get one chance, and there are lots of opportunities to burn yourself.

I did see a very neat recipe on TV. Sadly, I have no idea which show, or even which network. It was a French recipe, and my Francophobia means the name was out of my memory before it had a chance to settle in. Anyway, the cooks cut up apples,. put 'em in the skillet, added butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and brown sugar and cooked the apples on the skillet. While they were doing that, they preheated the oven to

350F or so, and made a pie crust. They topped the hot skillet full of apples with the pie crust, tucking it into the sides, rather than having it go over the edge of the skillet. They sprinkled some cinnamon sugar on top and put the skillet into the oven. When the crust was done, the skillet came out of the oven.... and here's the interesting part...

they put a serving platter over the skillet, flipped the whole mess over and lifted away the skillet. This left the pie crust on the serving platter, covered with steaming and savory apples. Te quickly sprinkled confectioners sugar on top and served it at once.

It looked very, very nice, and was a nice variation on the classic American pie.

If you were so inclined, you could probably add some sort of French liqueur to kick up the taste another notch. And you could also make it wit pears and raisins and honey and cinnamon. As with pies, there are a lit of options here, and this approach does get around the heat delay of the cast iron.

Mike

I think you may have seen a "Tarte Tatin":

Dave

That was the name they used. Perhaps my francophobia is lessening. Poolish! Levain! Baguette! Pain au levain! Maybe, must maybe.

Thanks, Mike

No real experience, just opinions. I'd be more concerned about how the cast iron will conduct heat than whether the crust will stick. I don't think the crust will stick -- there's plenty of fat in the crust, no? I surely wouldn't grease the skillet. Check a recipe for cornbread baked in a cast iron corn mold and one baked in an aluminum/other material pan to get an idea of how long to bake it.

Might you reduce the amount of the filling so it isn't SO "very deep dish?"

Oh pshaw, on Tue 13 Nov 2007 10:11:26a, Melba's Jammin' meant to say...

Normally, when you bake cornbread in a cast iron skillet, you preheat the skillet almost to the smoking point before pouring in the batter. A 9-inch or so skillet will bake a pan of cornbread in 35-40 minutes tops.

Unfortunately, you can't do that with pie crust. The time it may take for the cast iron to conduct the heat sufficient to bake the pie may yield a soggy crust.

Agreed. The pie crust is a different animal. Stick with metal or Pyrex/Corning Ware pie pans. Or there are some with a metal core and an enamel outer surface, but I haven't tried those. I've actually done some of my best recent baking in those new silicone things. But that's more muffins and brownies. I think a pie woujld need a more rigid container.

What if you pre-baked the bottom crust, then filled with apples and topped with a streusel topping? Then the bottom crust wouldn't get soggy from such a long bake and you'd still have the deep apple pie you desire?

marcella

Oh pshaw, on Tue 13 Nov 2007 08:45:03p, Marcella Peek meant to say...

That could probably work. Good thinking!

I always put a layer of either peach or apricot preserves right over the bottom crust prior to putting in the wet apple mix. This "insulates" the bottom crust from the wet. You don't taste the preserves after the baking. My bottom crust is always flaky.

Oh pshaw, on Wed 14 Nov 2007 11:13:27a, John B meant to say...

That's a keen idea and I'll probably try it. However, I never seem to have a soggy crust with any fruit pies. I always use Pyrex or pottery pie plates, put them on a preheated baking stone in the oven, and bake for about 15 minutes at 425-450 degrees before reducing the heat to finish.

I have an AWSOME recipe for 10 pound apple pie that you make in an iron skillet. It does take a bit longer to bake, but it turns out great. The only thing you have to worry about is you have to eat the pie the same day you cook it and take it out of the skillet at the end of the day. If you don't, you could have a rust issue.

Rose Ann Beranbaum in "The Pie & Pastry Bible" insists a pineapple upside down cake made in a cast iron skillet is the only way to make one. I have tried her recipe and it is marvelous.

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

cakes, desserts, fruits

Fruit Topping:

14 pineapple slices; well drained 14 sweet cherries; pitted 4 tb unsalted butter; unsalted 1/2 c light brown sugar 1/4 c pecan halves Cake: 3 lg egg yolks 1/2 c sour cream 1 ts vanilla 1 1/2 c cake flour; sifted 3/4 c superfine sugar 3/4 ts baking powder 1/4 ts baking soda 1/4 ts salt 9 tb unsalted butter; softened

One 10" cast iron skillet measured at bottom; top measures 11 inches. Finished Height: 1 1/2" inches.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place oven rack in lower third of oven.

TO MAKE FRUIT TOPPING: Drain pineapple slices and cherries and place on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. You will need 8 whole pineapple slices and 8 whole cherries. Halve 6 remaining slices and the remaining cherries.

In the skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar until moistened and remove from the heat.

Place 1 whole pineapple slice in the center of the pan and 7 whole slices surrounding it. Place the half slices slice by side against the sides of the pan, the two cut edges down, touching the brown sugar. Place the whole cherries in the center of the whole pineapple slices; the halved cherries in the center of the half slices. Tuck the pecans into any gaps between the fruit.

TO MAKE CAKE BATTER: In a medium bowl, lightly combine yolks, about

1/4 of the sour cream and the vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add butter and the remaining sour cream. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium (high speed if using hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develop cake's structure. Scrap down the sides.

Gradually add egg mixture to batter in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate ingredients and strengthen structure. Scrape down the sides. Scrape batter into fruit-lined skillet, smoothing evenly with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and the wire cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center. Run a small metal spatula around sides and invert at once onto a serving place. Leave the skillet in place for one or two minutes before lifting. If any fruit has stuck to the skillet, simply use a small spatula to place it back on the cake.

A cast iron skillet is ideal for preparing this cake not only because the butter and brown sugar for the topping can be heated directly in it on top of the stove, but because it helps the brown sugar topping to caramelize while baking.

Contributor: The Cake Bible --Rose Levy Beranbaum

** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.82 **