Apple pie – a classic dish just begging to be reinvented! People always crave new, provocative recipes while simultaneously wishing to preserve traditional flavors. Our take on classic Apple Pie is a homage to the past with an inspired, modern twist. We give you the Fall Harvest Caramel Apple Pie!
Americans have had a long love affair with apple pie. There is evidence that recipes for apple pie have been around since the 1300s, but it wasn’t until the Civil War that apple pie became an integral part of American cooking. By 1902, an editorial in the New York Times proclaimed that pie had become “the American synonym for prosperity.” By the 1920s, the phrase as American as apple pie was being used frequently in print and became particularly popular during World War II, when soldiers would say they were fighting “for mom and apple pie” before returning home to enjoy a slice.
Our Caramel Apple Pie is a relatively straightforward, uncomplicated dish to create and is fun to prepare with your kids or grandkids. For example, kids can help by unwrapping caramels for the sauce and be instructed on how to mix the ingredients for the streusel topping.
Be prepared; filling your home with the smell of baking pie will stir the appetite of everyone within. A slice of this warm, crusty, buttery, sweet Caramel Apple Pie – especially if you serve it al-a-mode, will exponentially enhance any holiday party or family gathering. Don’t expect leftovers!
We have a wide variety of apples to choose from at The Fruit Company, including; Honeycrisp, Jonagold, imperial Fuji, Royal Red, Golden Supreme, Royal Gala and Pink Lady, but we think Granny Smiths are the perfect choice for this pie. Granny Smith apples hold their shape and don’t get mushy while baking, and their light texture and tart flavor notes complement the rich, gooey caramel and crunchy streusel topping.
Let’s be honest: who doesn’t love a slice of crusty, buttery pie with a scoop of delicious vanilla ice cream? Especially at the end of the day. The rich, buttery flavor of this delectable dessert is what home and hearth are all about. This apple pie can be easily customized by using your favorite nuts or fruit in lieu of apple pie filling. The crunch both on top of the pie as well as incorporated in the topping adds great texture, modernizing this classic dish for our sophisticated tastes.
Ingredients:
For the crust – this makes a 9 to 10-inch pie:
- 2 cups of flour
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt (you can reduce this)
- 2/3 cup oil (canola)
- 3 tbs mil (or more as needed)
For the caramel sauce:
- 1 16 oz bag of caramels
- 1 tbs water
For the filling:
- 2 lbs Granny Smith Apples
- 2/3 cup brown sugar (can adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbs flour
- 2 tbs butter
- 1/3 cup of caramel sauce
- 1/4 cup nut topping (used for sundaes or caramel apples)
For the streusel topping – before baking:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 6 tbs butter
For the topping – after baking:
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup nut topping
Instructions:
For the crust – this makes a 9 to 10-inch pie:
- Mix together the dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
- Add the oil and milk (keep more milk if too dry).
- Press dough into the pie plate – starting with the edge and working towards the middle.
For the caramel sauce:
- Unwrap and add half the bag of caramels to a microwave-safe bowl
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir.
- Return to microwave and cook for about 1 more minute. Stir well. Keep warm.
For the filling:
- Peel and slice the apples, toss with sugar, flour and cinnamon.
- Line prepared pie crust with caramel sauce and nuts, place apples, don’t with butter and top with streusel topping.
- If you do not want the edges of your cust to get brown, wrap the edges of your pie plate with aluminum foil. (You’ll need to check the pie the last 10-15 minutes and remove the foil if the edges are too light.) The pie bakes at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
For the streusel topping – before baking:
- Melt butter, stir in sugar and flour; let rest for 5 minutes and then stir with fork and crumble over apples.
For the topping – after baking:
- Drizzle caramel over top of slightly cooled pie and sprinkle with nuts.
