How to Bake a Pie in a Cast Iron Skillet

Around the holidays patience and pie plates run short. While solutions for politically controversial uncles are scarce, you can always cling to cast iron skillets as your rock in a chaotic kitchen. From a Brussels sprouts to gravy and even that sweet potato casserole, there is almost nothing you can’t serve in cast iron, and that includes pie. In fact, once you try it, you may never bake in anything else again.

Before we approach the technique portion of our conversation, let us, in regards to pie, praise a famous pan. No longer will you have to disturb your fragile crust from damage as you cling to the sides of a thin glass pie plate with two oven mitts like a clumsy, frazzled bear; nor will you have to worry about your crust becoming soft and dense on the bottom, brown and dry on top. Reclaim the 35 minutes you would otherwise spend fussing with fluted edges or frantically collecting drippings from burning on the bottom of the oven forever to remain until the next homeowner moves in.

A cast iron skillet fixes all of these issue and more. Here is how to fully live in the enlightenment of cast iron pie baking.

• When making the crust, choose a recipe that makes enough for a deep dish pie. Divide it into 60:40 ratio rather than two equal discs.
• When you place the crust inside the skillet, use the slightly bigger crust so that the dough covers the deeper sides of the skillet.
• If you’re baking a fruit pie, like apple for example, let us liberate you even more fully: You don’t even need a bottom crust. Yes, maybe that makes it more a cobbler situation, but relax. It’s still pie shaped.
• Whether you’re doing a fancy lattice or a basic top crust, keep the edges inside the pan rather than coming around the sides like you would with a pie plate.
• For a flaky crust when baking, put the cast iron skillet on the bottom shelf of the oven that way the pan will absorb and conduct the heat resulting in a crisp crust.

Ready to embrace this new path to pie making? Try these recipes for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Cooking Bolognese Pasta Bake

You guys, are we all done with our Christmas shopping? Because I’m not. *insert panic-stricken face* But I am fully embracing online shopping and have placed a few orders this morning because I don’t exactly have 3 weeks left before I have to have the gifts like most people. We are leaving next week for our annual Summer holiday and if I don’t have the gift by then, my family are all getting hugs for Christmas. No jokes.

Caramel-Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Special equipment: a plastic squeeze bottle

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners.

For the cupcake batter: With an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated. In a medium bowl, sifttogether the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt, and slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients on low speed until combined. Fold in the apple pieces.

Pour the batter into the cupcake liners (mini cupcakes are our favorite!) until about three-quarters full and bake until a toothpick or knife comes out clean, about 20 minutes for regular-sized cupcakes, or 12 to 14 minutes for minis. Set aside to cool.

For the frosting: While the cupcakes cool, use your hand mixer to combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt, adding a bit more sugar if you prefer sweeter frosting. Beat until smooth, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Before topping each cupcake with frosting, insert a squeeze bottle filled with the caramel into each cupcake, about halfway in, and fill with caramel. Frost the cupcakes, and then top each with a small slice of apple dipped in the caramel, a drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of cinnamon--or all three if you want to be a badass.

Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Prepare the springform pan by coating it in a thin layer with 2 tablespoons of the softened butter. Add the cocoa powder to the pan and tap the sides to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Discard any excess cocoa powder. 

Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven on the center rack until just fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a kitchen towel to stop them from cooking. Use the towel to rub off the skins. Set aside to cool. 

Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Fill a 1- to 2-quart pot with about 1 inch of water and bring it to a bare simmer over medium heat. Place the dark chocolate pieces into a heatproof bowl and set it over the pot and simmering water (this is a bain-marie). The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Let the chocolate melt, and then stir gently. Remove from the heat when melted. 

Chop the hazelnuts into small pieces using a chef's knife or a food processor. Make sure you don't turn them into powder. 

Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer with the salt until they are almost at stiff peaks. Try not to over-whip. 

Mix together the remaining 5 tablespoons butter with the chocolate hazelnut spread in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in the espresso. Add the yolks and stir briskly to combine. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts and melted chocolate. 

Add one-fourth of the whipped egg whites to the chocolate hazelnut mixture and stir to lighten the batter. Then gently fold the rest of