Has anyone made this with unpeeled apples? I like to leave it on for the extra fiber. Thanks!

Sandy Tieken
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Heavenly Apple Brandy Cake
Recipe question for: Heavenly Apple Brandy Cake

8 Comments

Lori T. June 29, 2019
As Smaug said, there's no reason why you couldn't add in the apples unpeeled. So long as you are sure yours are not coated, that is. If they have that shiny tough outer coat, they have been dipped in an artificial wax for preserving purposes. The peels will not soften as well in the baking. Finally, you would want to peel your apples if they are not organic. Apples are routinely sprayed with a variety of things to kill fungus and bugs- and the majority of that will be on the skin. You can remove most of it with a 15 minute soak in water with baking soda added it- but some of it will have penetrated just below the skin and the soak won't remove it. The best option in that case is to simply peel, which will remove the vast majority of pesticide/fungicide residue. I know- it was supposed to be a simple apple cake, right?
 
Sandy T. June 29, 2019
Ha, not so simple! But thank you....I always buy organic apples at Whole Foods and will check with them but assume they are not coated.
 
Smaug June 30, 2019
I can't say that I've followed the situation closely, but last I knew (and that's several years ago) organic regulations, at least in California, allowed for spraying of apples- there simply wasn't a non chemical solution for coddling moths. Since California is usually pretty stringent on such matters, I would guess this was true elsewhere as well.
 
Sandy T. June 30, 2019
Hmmmm...I wonder if scrubbing the apple with a sturdy brush would remedy that?
 
Smaug June 30, 2019
I don't know about insecticides; apples are coated with either one of several waxes or shellac to replace the natural wax that is washed off when they are picked; there's some controversy as to whether this is a problem, but the recommended method to remove wax is hot water with some acid- usually lemon juice or vinegar- added. Not so sure about shellac; I know it mostly as a wood finish, and it is not water soluble; the usual solvent is alcohol. However, as a wood finish it is generally dewaxed whereas that used on fruits is not, so maybe it is more easily removed by hot water.
 
Lori T. June 30, 2019
The trouble is wax and shellac are meant to be water repellant- to help keep the juice inside the apple, and to shed water which would condense and potentially rot the fruit in storage or transit. Water with baking soda or vinegar will both help remove it. The most effective is a dilute vinegar solution, which also removes the most bacteria. A stiff brushing works better than just a rinse alone, but not as well as the soak. Those fruit and veggie washes sold in the stores work better than just a rinse, but not any better than brushing, and still not as well as the old dilute vinegar.
 
Smaug June 29, 2019
No reason you can't. The apples will soften, which may make the pieces of peel stand out some as something separate, if that might bother you. Certainly worse things happen in wartime.
 
Sandy T. June 29, 2019
Thanks....certainly worse things than random apple peel!
 
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