Cast Iron Apple Pie

D

DougH

Member
Been busy lately and haven't had much time to try new things with my CI, but I found time to make this apple pie this weekend. It was pretty easy, and turned out really well. It may have been more cobbler than pie, but delicious all the same :glutton:



The recipe below is from this post (http://writtenreality.com/easy-skillet-apple-pie/)

Ingredients

2 lbs. Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
2 lbs. Braeburn apples, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 package of refrigerated pie crusts
1 egg white
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
* Toss chopped apples in 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and cinnamon.
* Melt butter in skillet then add brown sugar.
* Allow brown sugar to heat until dissolved.
* Remove the skillet from the heat and place one of the pie crust in the bottom of the pan.
* Add apple mixture then top with remaining pie crust.
* Whisk the egg white to a foamy consistency and brush across the top of the crust.
* Sprinkle the remaining granulated sugar across the entire pie.
* Make sure to cut a few slits in the top for steam to escape.
* Bake for about an hour or until the crust is a golden brown.

Notes

adapted from a recipe found in Southern Living, September 2011
 
I did it in a #8, and it worked well. The bottom pie crust didn't come up the sides much, which is why it turned more into cobbler than pie, but the top pie crust covered perfectly. And the apples were mounded up when I started, but they baked down to just about level.

It was a sizable dessert...we took it to a family function with 15 or so people, and had some leftovers still. I think it would scale down easily if you wanted a smaller pie in a #6 or something like that.
 
I'm still on the hunt for one good pastry pie crust recipe. Mine never turns out great, just edible IMO.


Pumpkin season is coming up, and I'm so looking forward to fresh pumpkin pies :glutton:
 
A big part of my draw to this recipe was the simplicity of using store bought crusts. I admit that it's cheating, but it certainly made things simple :icon_thumbsup:
 
Be careful cooking fruit in your CI. Especially your favorite seasoned piece. Fruits contain acids that love to eat seasoning. I picture Pac-Man. A pineapple upside down cake only takes a few hours and apple cobblers take longer than citrus fruits, but will eat it too.

It is best to remove any fruit dish, including tomatoes as quickly as possible after cooking to protect the seasoning. If you want to strip a skillet without a lye tank, just leave it full of cornbread overnight. Works great but he cornbread tastes like iron! Many fruits will do the same thing but cost more.

Vinegar is very useful in cleaning CI. What is vinegar often made from? Just be aware.

Hilditch
 
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I would agree with being aware, but don't be afraid. I saw someone on reddit describe it somewhat like a scale. When you're cooking with oils and fats and such, you're tipping the scale to the good...when you're cooking with acidic foods, you're tipping the scale to the bad. Just make sure you do more good than bad, and give it a little extra love if it ever needs it, and you'll be fine.
 
DougH said:
I would agree with being aware, but don't be afraid. I saw someone on reddit describe it somewhat like a scale. When you're cooking with oils and fats and such, you're tipping the scale to the good...when you're cooking with acidic foods, you're tipping the scale to the bad. Just make sure you do more good than bad, and give it a little extra love if it ever needs it, and you'll be fine.
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Have to agree. Made low and slow chili many times using all fresh ingredients in my dutch ovens. Give it a coat of love and a ride in the oven, and all is good.


People tend to worry too much about seasoning. I like my seasoning thin, not thick and cruddy. Have no issue with scrubbing the surface of my pans to clean them.
 
RobM said:
People tend to worry too much about seasoning. I like my seasoning thin, not thick and cruddy. Have no issue with scrubbing the surface of my pans to clean them.
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Yeah, this is definitely becoming my approach as I get more and more into CI and cooking with it. Good seasoning is great, but it's not magic. If you do something that messes it up, it's easy to fix.
 
I had just did a Apple pie two weeks ago, I had the same problem with the crust not quite giving me enough up the side of the pan. But that was my fault, I got in a hurry and use a #8 and it was to much pan for the crust. It was supposed to go in my #7 witch I measured 2 days before.
The #7 is about the same size as a 9'' pie pan and most recipes are for a 8-9 inch pan with either single or double crust.

The recipe for the crust is the old basic Betty Crocker one and seems to work well for me. As for the store bought ones in my opinion taste just as good with no fuss. My brother uses those and they work well for him. I just got use to the old school way many years ago, I like chicken pot pie.
 

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In the picture you can see it was to much pan for the amount of apples I cut up and not getting the crust the way I wanted. It had a wonderful flakey crust, slid right out of the pan, and the clean up was the single paper towel in the foreground.
 

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Doug and Steven, you guys are tearing me up! I have a "Sidney" no. 7 which I will, the Lord willing, make a pie in! I wish I could make good pie crust, but I can't, so will use the "store bought" stuff. IF I can get my hubby to figure out the picture posting process for this forum, I'll post a picture, but only if it's perfect--you all are a hard act to follow!
 
Sharon Shuman said:
Doug and Steven, you guys are tearing me up! I have a "Sidney" no. 7 which I will, the Lord willing, make a pie in! I wish I could make good pie crust, but I can't, so will use the "store bought" stuff. IF I can get my hubby to figure out the picture posting process for this forum, I'll post a picture, but only if it's perfect--you all are a hard act to follow!
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I'm going to tell you a secret here, Sharon. This was the first pie I've ever made. Not the first pie I've baked in CI, the first pie ever. This recipe really was simple to follow, so go for it, and see what you get. Just watch it as it's getting close to the hour bake time, and take it out when it's the color you want.

If you're aiming for a #7, I would cut the apples back a bit. I did a full 4 lbs, and my #8 was nearly overflowing. They were mounded up in the middle when it started, and baked down to roughly level.
 
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