The Fastest Path to Apple Pie
When you’re craving the flavors of apple pie but don’t have time to make shortcrust pastry, this skillet apple cake is the perfect solution.
By cooking the apples in a pan before pouring the batter over them, you get a layer of caramelized fruit and a soft cake in less than fifteen minutes.
Detailed ingredients
For the fruit, you’ll need three medium apples, peeled and cut into uniform wedges.
To sauté the apples, all you need is a tablespoon of butter and a pinch of cinnamon. The dough, on the other hand, is a simple and fluid mixture of egg, sugar, flour and milk.
Step-by-step instructions
To start, sauté the fruit by melting the butter in a non-stick pan before adding the apple slices and cinnamon.
Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the apples begin to soften. Then, pour the prepared cake batter directly over the apples in the pan, distributing it evenly to cover all the fruit.
Finally, cover the pan and cook over low heat for about ten minutes. The steam trapped by the lid will allow the cake to rise and bake through without burning the bottom.
Service and presentation
For a beautiful presentation, make an inversion: once the top of the cake is set, turn it out on a plate so that the caramelized apples are facing upwards.
For the finishing touch, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar while the cake is still warm for a professional, bakery-like look.
Nutritional Overview
This recipe, based on fresh apples and a light dough, is less fatty than traditional shortcrust pies. It is optional to leave the skin of the apples, but this helps to increase the fiber content.
How to make this recipe
To sum up, the process is simple and effective. Start by preparing your dough in a small bowl: whisk the egg and sugar until the mixture whitens, then stir in the flour and milk until you have a smooth dough.
While the dough is resting, prepare your apples, making sure they are cut into thin, even slices.
The magic happens in the pan, where the brief sauté of apples in butter and cinnamon develops a basic flavor, and the steaming that follows creates a moist, tender cake that requires no oven.
