Apple Pie/Cake
Now that autumn is in full swing, I’m starting to see fruits and vegetables change at the farmer’s market. Where the stands used to be piled high with peaches, plums and tomatoes, now there’s squash, citrus and apples. While I love the produce of the spring and summer, I also adore the produce of the fall. Seeing those funny-shaped gourds and round red sphere’s makes me think of warm soups and hearty entreés that warm you up from the inside out. But they also make me think about pie.
When I start to see several varieties of apples, my mind starts spinning, and I find myself dreaming about luscious fall desserts. Of course there’s apple pie, but there’s also baked apples, apple sauce, apple strudel… the list goes on and on. The apples aren’t only for dessert though. Those same apples add a wonderful pop of sweetness to savory dishes as well. But since I have a vicious sweet tooth, of course all I ever think about is dessert.
While I’ve made my fair share of apple cakes and tarts, my favorite apple treat is hands down the pie. There’s just nothing better than a thick slice of warm apple pie straight out of the oven with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. But if you’re anything like me, you don’t make apple pie that often. Why? It’s the crust! Making that wonderful, flakey pie crust is just so damn intimidating. The butter needs to be ice cold. You don’t want to add too much water. If you have warm hands (like me) you’re screwed because the dough becomes too soft… the list goes on and on. So, for years I left the apple pies to the professionals. But what if you could make a pie without a flakey crust? What if there was a way to make a sort of apple cake in pie form? Well, Saveur heard my your pleas and recently published just such a pie… er, cake. Okay, it’s a cake but it’s made in a pie plate. Confused? I was too… until I made it.
This pie/cake recipe is great if you’re in the mood for an apple pie but don’t want know how to make a pie crust. See, the “crust” for this pie is really more like a cake. Then you load the apple filling, and finally you scatter the remaining dough on the top and cook the whole thing. What you end up with is a wonderfully moist cake, that’s stuffed with that sweet, gooey, cinnamony, apple pie filling. It’s soooo good! Better yet, it’s soooo easy! But best of all, it’s a great alternative to the classic apple pie. It still tastes delicious, especially with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. And you won’t have to worry if the crust is going to come out nice and flakey. So, while I’m all for classic apple pie, this alternative may be my go-to when I want that apple pie experience without the extra work.
Notes
Adapted from Saveur Magazine.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1 egg
- 2 pounds Granny Smith, Pippin or Macintosh apples, peeled cored and cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup Golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Use your hands to add the butter and work together until pea-sized crumbles form. Add the egg and mix until the dough just comes together. Remove 1/3 of the dough, flatten into a disc. Take the rest of the dough and flatten that into a disc as well. Wrap both discs in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie dish and set aside.
- On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the larger dough disc into a 12-inch circle. Press the circle into the prepared pie plate and trim the edges so they're flush with the dish.
- Toss the apples with the raisins, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Transfer the apple mixture to the pie plate.
- Pinch off small pieces of the remaining dough disc and trimmings and scatter them over the top of the apple mixture.
- Bake for 75 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and the center is bubbling. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
