Caramel Apple Pie

Apple Pies are an all time favourite and can be had the year round.  This variation has a generous amount of caramel sauce added in to give that ooomph.

I used an all butter pie dough instead of the regular pastry as this is crisper and holds up well.  It has a really rich buttery flavour.  The recipe is supposed to make enough dough for 1 double crusted pie [however I felt it fell short slightly].  I made the dough using a food processor - for two reasons - firstly its faster and cleaner and secondly the butter does'nt get a chance to melt, which makes for a good crust.  The flour, baking powder and salt are quickly pulsed in the processor to incorporate all, then the butter cut in 1" chunks is added in.  This just needs to be pulsed so that the flour gets a biscuit like texture.  Not too fine but chunky.  Then a little ice water is added to bring it all together.  The crust does not require kneeding by hand - just dump the entire thing on a sheet of cling film and bring it together.  Cover with another sheet and leave it to rest.

The hero of this pie is the caramel.

The apples are peeled, cored and mixed in with a buttery caramel sauce.  I make this sauce in a larger lot - it can easily be doubled - as it stores well.  This can then be added in brownie mixture to make a caramel layered brownie, or to top of ice cream.  

The apples I used were the regular Washington Apples as I was to lazy to go and look for Granny Apples.  To counter the sweetness I added in the juice of 1 lemon.  If using the tarty Granny Apples then the lemon juice can be skipped.

This time around I made an 10 inch pie but to keep up to my love for all things small, I have done this in a small version in a 6 muffin dish.  It is more tedius making the baby variants but they look so cute that I need to indulge that mood sometimes.

Serve with lots of Vanilla Ice cream or with some fresh cream

Recipe

For the Pie crust All-Butter Pie Dough

• 140 gms flour
• 1 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 115 gms very cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces - I use Amul so skip the salt.
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons ice water

1. In the bowl of a food processor add and pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt till combined.
2. Throw in the butter, and pulse briefly, until the butter is the size of large peas.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of the water and pulse to combine. 
4. The dough should just hold together. 
5. Put the mix on a sheet of cling film and bring together - DO NOT Kneed.  Cover with another sheet and keep in the fridge to rest for 15 mins at least
6. After 15 min of resting the dough, divide into 2 parts.  Roll out the two parts, separately, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or cling film.  It makes it easier to fit into the pie dish.
7. Layer the pie dish with one sheet of dough and put back in the fridge to keep cool, while preparing the filling.

Caramel

• 60 gms sugar
• 20 ml water
• 30 gms butter
• 35 gms cream

To make the caramel sauce

1. Dissolve the water and sugar in a heavy bottom pan over low heat.
2. Add butter and stir to combine till butter has melted.
3. Bring the mix to a boil and cook till a golden caramel colour is achieved.
4. Remove from heat and add in cream.  Mix will foam over.  Using a whisk combine well
5. Return to low heat and cook for 10-15 min till creamy consistancy reached.

For the Apple Filling

• 3 Washington apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1.2-inch slices
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• Juice of 1 full lemon
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar, for sprinkling

Mix all above and keep.  Add in warm [not hot] caramel and mix well

ASSEMBLING

1. Fill the lined pie tin with the apple caramel mix.
2. Using the second dough cover the top or make a lattice design.
3. Brush with Egg wash and bake at 180C for 30 min
4. Put under the grill for 5 mins to get the desired colour.

Let it rest for 10 mins before cutting and serving.