Recipe: Skillet Apple Pie

Based on a September 2008 recipe for from Cook's Illustrated. Prepared for dinner on October 28, 2012. Serves 6.

• This recipe is based on apple pandowdy. You can think of it as a simple version of apple pie with just a single crust on top of the fruit.
• The Cook's Illustrated recipe recommends using a combination of sweet crisp apples like Golden Delicious and tart crisp apples like Cortland or Empire.
• Partially cooking the apples before baking develops a rich flavor, shortens baking time, and ensures the apples are cooked through when the crust is done.

Ingredients

Crust

5 ounces (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3-4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

½ cup apple cider

⅓ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2½ pounds apples

1 egg white
2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions 

 Crust

1. Chill the shortening.
2. Cut the butter into ¼ inch pieces and chill.
3. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine.
4. Add the chilled shortening and pulse, approximately ten 1-second pulses, until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand.
5. Add the chilled butter pieces and pulse, approximately ten 1-second pulses, until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs and the largest pieces of butter are pea sized.
6. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of ice water.
7. With a rubber spatula, fold the dough to mix in the water then press down with the spatula blade until the dough comes together. You may add up to 1 additional tablespoon of ice water if the dough doesn't come together at first.
8. Flatten the dough into a four-inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to two days. If it is refrigerated for more than an hour or so you may need to let it warm at room temperature until malleable before rolling it out.

Filling

1. With a rack in the upper-middle position, heat oven to 500°.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider, maple syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
3. Peel and core the apples and cut them into ½-inch thick wedges.
4. Over medium-high, heat the butter in an oven-proof 12″ skillet until the foaming subsides.
5. Add the apple wedges and cook for about five minutes, stirring several times, until the apples just start to caramelize.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apple cider mixture. Stir to coat all of the apples and set aside to cool slightly.

Assemble and bake

1. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out into an 11″ circle.
2. Place the dough on top of the apple mixture in the skillet; it is convenient to use your rolling plan to transfer the dough, just fold it over the pin and unroll it on top of the skillet.
3. Beat the egg white and brush it over the dough.
4. Sprinkle the dough with the sugar.
5. Use a sharp knife and gently cut the dough into six pieces.
6. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the apples are tender, about 20 minutes
7. Let cool for 15 minutes then serve.

In a food processor make pie dough: pulse chilled shortening with flour, sugar, and salt then add butter and pulse. Transfer to a large bowl, add ice water, then flatten into a disk and refrigerate.

Whisk together apple cider, maple syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon.

Peel apples and cut into ½-inch wedges.

Cook apples in butter until they just start to caramelize then off heat add the apple cider mixture.

Roll pie dough into an 11″ circle.

Cover apple mixture with the crust, brush on egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, cut the crust into 6 pieces, and bake.