Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Crust

  • 1 recipe double crust pie (see recipe below)

  • Flour for dusting

Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1½ cups heavy cream, room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Apple Filling

  • 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into ⅛-inch slices

  • 5 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • ¼ cup brown sugar

  • ¼ cup flour

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

  • ½ cup Salted Caramel Sauce

Assembly

  • Egg wash

  • Turbinado sugar

Prepare double pie crust according to instructions. Allow the dough to chill for at least 2 hours.

To make the caramel sauce, in a large, dry skillet, heat the sugar over medium-high heat. Cook the sugar until it melts into a medium golden color.  Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Whisk in the heavy cream. 

Return the skillet to medium heat and cook until thick, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.  Carefully pour into a heat-safe container and cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Reserve ½ cup for the pie filling.

As the sauce thickens, remove one half of the chilled pie crust dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out into a roughly 12-inch circle about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Place into a 9-inch pie pan and store in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the pie.

In a large bowl, mix together apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove pie crust bottom from the fridge and begin layering the apples. Fill any cracks and crevices with smaller pieces. You want to create flat, uniform layers if you can. Once half of the apples have been placed, drizzle in the caramel sauce. Place the rest of the apples on top. Chill in the fridge while you roll out your top crust.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat in the middle rack of the oven.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out into a roughly 12-inch circle about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Cut the crust into ½-inch wide strips. They don’t have to be perfect as you will be twisting them. Starting in the middle of the pie, start twisting one of the pie crust strips, going around and around. Keep adding strips as you use them, keeping each layer close together. Continue with the rest of the strips until you reach the edge of the pie. Fold in the edge of the bottom crust creating a nice smooth edge. With your thumb, crimp the edge. Slide the whole pie in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Once frozen, remove and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. If the pie starts to brown too quickly, cover the top with foil.

Let cool for 2 hours before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream and extra Salted Caramel Sauce if desired.

Yields: One 9-inch pie

Pie Crust

  • 3 cups (360 g) flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons sugar (omit if making a savory pie)

  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, chilled

  • 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar

  • 8 tablespoons or more iced water

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut butter into ½-inch cubes and place in the bowl with the dry ingredients. If you have time, chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or the fridge for 1 hour.

In the meantime, tear two pieces of plastic wrap and set aside.

Remove bowl from the freezer or fridge. Blend together the butter and flour with a pastry blender or food processor until the butter/shortening is approximately pea-sized.

Assemble ice water and set aside. Pour apple cider vinegar in the flour and butter mixture and stir to combine. Continue to add the iced water one tablespoon at a time until the flour is moistened and the dough comes together. To test if it has come together, take a small handful and squeeze it together in the palm of your hand. If it holds it's shape, it's ready to be wrapped. If it falls apart, it needs more water.

Form half the dough in a disk and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Repeat with the other half adding more water if needed. Wrap both tightly.

Chill in the fridge for an hour, overnight or in the freezer for several months.

 

Yields: Two pie crusts (enough for two 9-in. pies)

Recipe adapted from Kara Chin’s Recipe


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