Caramel Apple Pie

NOTE: I make the crust with a food processor because it’s quicker and easier, but you can also do it by hand by adding the cubed butter to all of the flour and salt and cutting the butter into the flour until it’s all combined and the largest pieces of butter remaining are about the size of peas. Then add the water and continue with the rest of the instructions.

Add 1 1/2 cups (195g) flour and salt to a large food processor and pulse together 2 to 3 times.

Scatter the cubed butter over the flour and process until a crumbly dough forms, about 15 seconds. The flour should all be coated – none of the flour should be dry.

Add the remaining 1 cup (130g) of flour and pulse a few times until everything is evenly distributed. The doughy pieces should break up and it should look sandy. There shouldn’t be a bunch of big pieces remaining. A few are fine, but it should be mostly evenly distributed.

Move the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add 4tablespoons of the ice water. Start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together nicely, it’s ready. If the dough falls apart, add 1 more tablespoon of water and continue to press until dough comes together.

Pour the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured countertop and work just enough for it to come together and form a ball. Cut the ball in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days.

In a medium to large sauce pan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part to help avoid crystallization. Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color, about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubbly up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.

Add the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt and whisk to combine. Add additional salt to your desired saltiness.

Set aside ½ cup of caramel sauce for drizzling over pie slices when serving. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the remaining caramel sauce.This will keep the caramel from just melting, so that it stays distributed throughout the pie.

Allow the caramel sauce to cool. It will be fairly thin, but will thicken as it cools. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Peel, core, and slice all of the apples to about 1/8 inch thick. You want to try to slice them all about the same thickness so they cook evenly. Add the lemon juice to a very large bowl and toss the apples in the juice as you slice them, leaving the apple slices in the bowl for later.

Add the sugars, flour and salt to the apple slices and gently toss to coat them all with the mixture. Be careful not to break the apples as you toss them. Pour the apple mixture into a large 5-quart skillet (I use this skillet but this one would work well too.)

Cook the apples (covered with a lid) over medium heat until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. You want the apples to be fork-tender but still hold their shape. The apples won’t soften more in the oven, so how they are when you stop cooking them is how they’ll be in the pie. Cook them to how you like them. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the vanilla extract.

Spread the apple filling evenly onto a sheet pan, or any pan with a lip around the edge, and refrigerate it until completely cool. Depending on how cold your fridge is, it’ll take a couple of hours or so to cool fully.You could also pop it in the freezer to cool more quickly, but you won’t want it to be frozen when you go to use it later. You can use it right after cooling, or store it for up to 2 days ahead of making the pie.

Grab your pie plate. I use a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Rollout your pie crust so that it’s about an inch or so larger than the size of your pie plate. If it was refrigerated for more than a couple hours, you may need to let it sit out a bit before you can roll it easily. I like to place the pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper. You can add a touch of flour if you like, but you don’t have to. Cover the crust with another piece of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin.

Peel one piece of the parchment paper off and use the other piece of parchment to lift the pie crust and drape it over the pie plate.Carefully peel off the second piece of parchment paper. You should have some overhang on the sides to use later for shaping your crust.

Add about 1/3 of the apple filling to the pie crust. Drizzle3-4 tablespoons of the caramel sauce with the flour in it over the top. If you made it ahead and it’s too firm, heat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or until drizzle consistency. Repeat with two more layers of apple filling and caramel sauce, finishing with caramel sauce on top.

Roll out the second pie crust and create your top. I did a lattice design, but feel free to make it your own. If you don’t do a lattice or a design that is naturally vented, just be sure to score the crust so that steam can escape while it bakes. Shape the edges of the crust with the overhang from the first crust. Brush the crust of the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle the top with the coarse sugar.

Place the pie in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes to get it cold and firm.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While the pie is chilling, place a baking sheet in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes to get nice and hot.

Put the pie into the oven on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is starting to brown.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the juices of the pie are bubbling throughout. If the crust begins to brown too much, you can cover it with a pie crust shield or use foil to tent the top of it. Just be sure it’s vented for the steam to be released.

Let the pie cool on a wire rack to room temperature, for about 3-4 hours. The filling will thicken as it cools. If you cut it when it’s still hot, the juices will pool.

When the pie is cool, slice and serve.