Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Turn this American classic up a notch with the sweet complexity of homemade salted caramel.
Ingredients
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 tbs butter, sliced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
Pie
- 2 9-inch unbaked pie crust, thawed (Store bought or make your own)
- 3 lbs tart apples (We like good old Granny Smith for this)
- 1 lemon's worth of juice (About 1 tbs)
- 2 dashes Agnostura bitters
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tbs flour
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- Coarse Sugar & Sea Salt (Optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Roll both crusts to fit a 9 inch pan, about 1/8 inch thick. Chill the crust while the rest of the pie is being prepared.
- To begin the caramel, combine water in sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture turns amber.
- Stir in butter, being careful as the butter will cause it to bubble and the mixture is hot.
- Once melted, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while stirring.
- Once cream is completely incorporated, allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more. The mixture will rise as it cooks. If it gets too close to the top, remove it from heat.
- Stir in salt, then set aside to cool.
- Peel, core, and slice apples into thin wedges. Toss apple slices in lemon juice and bitters.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
- Add sugar and spices to apples, toss to coat.
- Preheat oven to 400 F with the rack in the center. It may also be a good idea to line the lower rack with a foil or put in a baking sheet lined with foil to catch pie drippings.
- Fit the bottom pie crust into the pan.
- Pour about 1/2 the apple mixture into the pie crust. Pour on about 1/3 the caramel onto the apples. Then add the remaining apples, topping with another 1/3 of the caramel. Set the last 1/3 of the caramel aside to be served with the pie slices.
- Place the top pie crust over the pie, trimming excess, and pressing the top and bottom crusts together. Cut small vents in the top crust.
- Beat the egg and brush over the pie crust. Sprinkle on sugar and salt, if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 F and bake until golden brown, about another 40 minutes. If the top of the pie is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
