Impossibly Simple Cardamom Apple Pie

I am desperately trying to use up the not-so-pleasant-looking apples from our apple tree. I don't want them to go to waste, so I am trying any apple recipes I can get my hands on.

After searching for simple recipes for the cooking club that I lead, I found a string of "impossible" pies.

Impossible in that they don't have a crust? Impossibly easy?

Not sure of the origin of that curious title but it seemed to usually mean a pie made with some pre-made biscuit mix. Not really my cup of tea. Then I found one closer to something I would make- using good old eggs and flour!

The only change that I dared make was to add cardamom. A friend once made a cake with cardamom (and pear?) and it was delicious. A little something different than the common cinnamon pairing.

It seems that the "Impossible" Pie is really not a pie at all, but a lovely pie-shaped cake with a crisp top crust that mimics a pie crust and a tender, moist interior to sink into.

This version? Serious contender for the best apple recipe of the season. It is impossibly simple to make and simply impossible to resist! 

Now off to make something kale-y and healthy after all these luscious fruity desserts lately!

Enjoy!

Impossible Cardamom Apple Pie

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced
¼ tsp cardamom
¾ cup butter
1 cup cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup unbleached flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9” pie plate or lined cake pan.
2. Place sliced apples in pie plate. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp cardamom.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Remove from heat. Then quickly stir in egg with wooden spoon. Add flour and stir until smooth.
4. Pour over apples and smooth with spatula.
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until top is golden and edges are crisp.

(And although it is remarkably similar to the skillet cake, it is quite different in taste and texture!)
http://www.mintgreenapron.blogspot.ca/2012/09/quick-peach-skillet-cake.html

Revision: You can make this pie with 1/2 cup butter, the batter will be thicker and will need to be spooned onto apples and pressed lightly onto apples before baking. 

Quick Peach Skillet Cake

Peaches...the lovely scent, the perfect sun-kissed rosey tinge, and the juicy flesh. We just can't get enough of them right now and sadly their days are numbered.

Although a ripe peach really needs no adornment, it is nice once in awhile to try something new.

I picked up a copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook at the local thrift store some time ago. It was the reference of choice for the catering company that I used to work for (they loved the brownies, cookies, cheesecake in this series of cookbooks). Although it is slightly out-of-date in this era of quinoa and millet, the classics can't be beat.

When I flipped through it recently, I noticed what looked like a super easy peach cake.

And it was more than easy. Within five minutes (okay, maybe 7 or 8?) the cake was in the oven!

After trying this basic, yet tasty, cake, I imagine that any stone fruit would be wonderful- apricots, plums, maybe even nectarines?

If you check out the cookbook and find the recipe, the original has far more sugar and flavours (cinnamon and nutmeg? with peaches?) but I wanted something simple. If you do too, you will love this.

Quick Skillet Cake
Easy
The simplicity of this cake is that you can mix this by hand and have it in the oven in 5 minutes!

1/4 cup softened, unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp almond extract (recommended!) or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1-2 tbsp sugar, for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until combined. Add one egg and mix well. Add milk and extract.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add liquid ingredients. Beat until light and fluffy (get an arm workout and mix it quickly for about a minute or two).
4. Spoon batter into butter-rubbed heavy 9" skillet (cast iron works well!) Top with sliced peaches and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until middle is softly set.