caramel apple pie

Once I started really getting into baking as a kid I loved making all the really fattening things where the key ingredients were fat and sugar. You know, stuff like cinnamon rolls, pound cakes, 3 layered cakes, butter cookies, and you named it, pies.

Apple pie was probably one of the first pies I got into mainly because I love the mcdonalds apple pie and the hostess apple pie. I mean, c'mon who didn't like them as a kid?! Those things were like drugs to me and so I thought why not make my own apple pie.

I made my pie crust, shoved in tons of apples freshly picked from a NJ farm, and then poured my homemade cinnamon caramel over the apples and pie dough. This would make the pie dough crispy and crackly as ever. I was living my best "fat alex" self there every was. That was until one day summer day my eczema got out of hand when the juice of an apple got on me. My eczema freak out and so did I. From then on I swore off apples and now every time I eat apples I get itchy and if i eat a whole slice of let's say apple pie my throat will start to close.

However, just because fat Alex can't enjoy her delicious caramel apple pie doesn't mean my family shouldn't. My dad made a request for apple pie and I couldn't say no so he had the job of handling anything that has to do with the apples while I made the crust and the caramel. The pie came out just like I remembered (ahem this is how i found out that my throat closes when I eat apple pie lol) and now any time my family wants I make a deal with them. If you want apple pies, you deal with the apple part of the pie and Ill handle the rest.

Caramel Apple Pie

Comes to 8 slices

Ingredients:

Caramel apple pie filling:

• 4-5 apples

• 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch

• 1 stick of butter

• 3 tablespoons of flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1 tablespoon of Saigon cinnamon (or any cinnamon you have)

Pie Crust:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour

• 1 stick of butter, cut into 10 pieces

• 3 tablespoons of lard

• 1 teaspoon of sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 4 tablespoons of water

* Depending on the apples you pick, changes the amount of liquid that comes out, how soft they will get, and how long you need to cook them! I recipe tested this recipe twice. Once with ida red apples (baked for 2 hours, thicker caramel, and tender apples) and another time with delicious red apples ( bake for 1 1/2 hours, wetter caramel, & super soft apples). *

Instructions:

For the pie dough:

1. In a food processor combine all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything has come together.

2. Next add 3 tablespoons of water and pulse until the dough forms together. Feel the dough, it should still be a bit crumbly but should be hold together overall. If its too dry add another tablespoon.

3. Then dump out the dough onto a floured surface and the shape into two circles. (note: I always make one circle larger than the other because on will just be a lattice crust and the other will have to cover the entire pie pan)

4. Plastic wrap it and then leave it in the fridge to hydrate and harden a bit. About 30 minutes is good.

For the caramel apple pie filling:

1. In a medium sized pot melt the butter on a medium high flame.

2. Then add in the flour and whisk to combine.

3. Next add in the sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and water.

4. Let this come to a boil and then bring the flame to a medium and let it simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken it.

5. Once it has thickened a bit, shut off the flame and start working on the apples.

6. Peel, core, and cut the apples into slices. Each apple should leave you with about 12 - 14 slices per apple.

7. Squeeze your lemon over the apples so that they don't oxidize while you start assembling everything along with the cornstarch to help everything thicken.

Assembly:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Flour your surface and rolling pin with a decent amount of flour and keep some handy just in case you have some stickage.

3. Roll out one of your pie circles to fit your pie pan and transfer your crust over to your pie dish by rolling the pie dough onto the rolling pin and then unrolling it into the pie pan!

4. Next, you can either artfully place your apples into the pie dish (like my dad) or you can just dump them in (like me) either way works but my dads way is much neater.

5. Pour the caramel sauce onto of the apples.

6. Next, roll out your other pie dough to the same size as the pie and cut it into 8 strips. 4 going in one direction and 4 going in a perpendicular direction. Be sure to overlap them as you go. You can get really creative here but I went pretty classic. Here is a photo to help you out.

7. Brush the top of your pie with egg wash and sprinkle on some dermerrara sugar.

8. Put the pie into a baking tray so just incase the caramel bubbles over it will be contained.

9. Bake for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. Poke the apples to check to see if you like the tenderness of the apples. If its not soft enough cook it for another 30 minutes.

10. Once its done let it cool off! If you cut into it while it's hot the caramel will be totally liquid and it will just pour out. That's me. I will cut into while its hot because I'm impatient. Don't be me, wait until it cools.

11. Once it's set, you can cut it into slices and serve with ice cream. If you want it warm, pop a slice into the microwave!