11/21/11

salty caramel-apple pie

salty apple-caramel pie

Well it's Thanksgiving week. That was fast. Are you ready? Are you stressed? Last year I did the HUGE mistake of going to Whole Foods on Thanksgiving eve. There wasn't a parking spot to be had for miles. It was INSANE there. As much as I love Whole Foods I will never ever do that again. I swear everyone was there buying turkeys and side foods as well as pies. I mean I know people do last minute Christmas shopping, but last minute turkey dinners? Amazing. I just went there to stock up on my water and probiotics--which could/should have waited.
Are you cooking this year? What are you making? Are you doing the whole meal? Doing the whole meal scares me unless I have a big ass kitchen and an even bigger fridge. Because seriously where are you going to store everything? One of my culinary dreams is to have a Sub Zero fridge or no, that fridge that is in the background of that food show Cooking for real with Sunny Anderson. It's a SEE THROUGH fridge people. How cool is that?
If you need any ideas for kicked up pies here is one: salty caramel apple pie. It's has the salty, sweet and buttery all happening. Perfect combo in a pie really. Just make sure you top each slice with vanilla ice cream! It's fairly easy to make. You can make the caramel sauce a couple days ahead and save the pie for the day of--easy peasy.
Have a wonderful holiday kids. Be safe and eat well!

salty caramel apple pie

salty caramel apple pie

I love the person that thought those chunks were cheese. Ha Ha! But actually that's a really good idea--for real. (I had posted this pic to the Vanilla Sugar Blog Facebook page as a teaser of what's to come).

salty caramel apple pie 5


salty caramel-apple pie
print recipe

2 pie crusts, homemade or premade
(I always use Martha Stewart's pie crust recipe; it never fails me)
7-8 cups apples, peeled and sliced into medium 1 ½ x 1 ½ inch slices (I use any apple really not granny smith)
The juice of one large lemon
2 TB flour
1 TB cinnamon
3 TB butter
3 good pinches of sea salt
¾ cup of caramel sauce
1 egg (for the pie wash on top)

homemade caramel sauce
from my baking addiction

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 liquid cup water
1/2 liquid cup heavy cream, room temp NOT cold
2 TB unsalted butter, room temp
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cook notes: I only used ¾ of the caramel sauce and saved the rest in a covered glass jar for other goodies. I’ve made this pie with premade crusts and with homemade crusts—both work fine.
I used about 3 good size pinches of sea salt for the top of the filling—this maybe too much for some of you and just right for some of you. Use what you think is best. I tend to like my caramel pie a touch salty. I used a deep dish apple pie pan for this, as it hold more apples. I do NOT like to pile apples into a mile high pie—that’s’ just me, I feel the caramel taste gets lost with too many apples. I like about a 4 inch apple thick pie.
You must, I repeat must serve this with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. I stored my pie, covered, at room temp. I could not fathom putting it in the fridge; apple pies do not taste good cold. It kept nicely at room temp for about 2 days.

For the caramel sauce:
In a heavy saucepan place a candy thermometer on the side of pan. Stir together the sugar, syrup, and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until all sugar is dissolved AND its bubbling. When it hits 380 F remove from heat and CAREFULLY pour in the heavy cream. It will bubble and boil a lot so stand back and let it do its thing. Once it’s calmed down, mix with a rubber spatula, stirring and scraping up the bottom of pan. You might want to return it to the heat (a medium heat) if you see that not everything is dissolving. Once that is heated thru and stir in the butter and salt. Take off the heat and keep stirring till everything has come together. Let this cool a bit, about 4 minutes, then add in the vanilla extract.

For the pie filling:
In a large bowl place the chopped apples in and sprinkle with the lemon juice. In a small bowl combine the flour and cinnamon mix. The toss the flour mixture onto the apples and using a spatula combine well.
Let sit for a bit.

For the pie:
Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Spray your deep dish pie plate with non-stick spray; lay one of the pie crusts down into pie plate.
Take your apples and pour about ¾ cup of the caramel sauce over them, then mix with spatula. Take apples and place into pie. Sprinkle on the sea salt over the top, then take your 3 TB of butter, cut into small pieces and drop over the pie filling.
Take the other pie crust, and place over the top, crimping the edges closed. Take your egg and beat it a small cup with a fork. Generously wash the top of the pie with egg using a pastry brush.
Using a sharp knife, poke about 5 slits in the top of the pie for steam escape.
Place pie on a parchment lined baking sheet.
I baked my pie at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. Yours might take less or more to bake, depending on oven. But check at the 45 minute mark to see where it stands.
Please let this pie cool at least 30 minutes before slicing into it to let the caramel set up.
Serve with vanilla ice cream

37 comments:

  1. This looks like pretty much the best apple pie ever. You totally had me at salted caramel though :) Happy Thanksgiving!

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  2. That looks like it would be a smash! Unfortunately locked into pumpkin this year ... but maybe Christmas!

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  3. Oh my lord, this looks AMAZING. I will definitely be trying this out, wow! :)

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  4. Did my comment go through??

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  5. oh my!! i have no idea what we'll be doing thursday... i figured i'd ask when i get home tomorrow :) i'm totally putting in a plug for this!

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  6. If it were up to me, I'd have this at Thanksgiving and just stop right there.

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  7. That is one impossibly good looking pie. Do you deliver to Rhode Island???

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  8. I would never go to Whole Foods the day before thanksgiving..but the day after? It's heavenly. I never take leftovers from my family (my theory is that I can eat whatever I want on Thanksgiving, but when it's over...it's over.) and so I ALWAYS need to go grocery shopping the day after. Love it.

    You are speaking to my soul with this pie. Anything with salty caramel makes me swooon.

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  9. Wait..didnt you have a Sub-Zero in your old rental house....the one the quite working!!!???? LOL. If I had one of the see thru fridges, that means I would have to keep it clean. Ugggg. Love the pie. I am sure the butter chunks just make it heavenly!

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  10. I'm having two Thanksgivings luckily I don't have to cook both! Just one! The pie looks amazing!

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  11. Help me! If I could just reach through this laptop and dig into that pie I would plant my face in it. It looks amazing! And this year I am not baking, cooking or doing anything for Thanksgiving other than making reservations. So sad! But if I could just have a big slice of that pie I would feel so complete! lol

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  12. Help me! Salty + caramel + apple = Heaven! If I could just reach through this laptop and dig into that pie I would plant my face in it. It looks amazing! And this year I am not baking, cooking or doing anything for Thanksgiving other than making reservations. So sad! But if I could just have a big slice of that pie I would feel so complete! lol

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  13. Sound delicious, Great dish for Thanksgiving...

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  14. Yes, I will take that please. Looks delish!

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  15. I wouldn't need anything else for T-Day dinner if I had this pie. It's incredible!

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  16. I am loving the salty caramel addition. It has given me an idea:D

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  17. Holy crap!!!! What a great idea!

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  18. WOW! Butter CHUNKS in the pie? Very clever, but then the indulgence must be savored to the max ;)

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  19. The name of your pie caught my eye. I'll have to try it soon as I'm trying to duplicate the JJ Apple Pie at Doris' in Ft. Kent, Maine, seen here http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=6841 Ft. Kent's right on the Canadian border, so it's a long way from anywhere and I don't get that pie very often. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.

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  20. From now on, apple desserts should always have salted caramel.

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  21. i'm on a huge salted caramel kick right now...in fact i recently posted a salted caramel pie...but it was sans apples so i definitely need to try this!

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  22. I made something similar to this last year for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! Your pie looks spectacular!

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  23. OOh! This looks so amazing.. Ill definitely try this one

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  24. Voilà une délicieuse apple pie, dans laquelle je piquerais ma fourchette
    Je te souhaite une belle journée
    Valérie

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  25. Gorgeous pie! Nothing better than salted caramel anything...
    Too late for this Thanksgiving though.
    I have to get one thing at the store this morning and dread it.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  26. Looks positively amazing. I think my daughter and I may make this for T day!!!

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  27. What a pretty pie! I love salted caramel so can't even imagine how good it is with apples and pie crust. I am making most of the feast but am getting help from various family members. I was going to make an apple pie, but decided on a pear pudding cake which is baking in my oven at the moment. The recipe had a couple of errors in it, so fingers are crossed that it actually turns out. Happy Thanksgiving to you Dawn!

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  28. Hello Dawn!
    What a truly appetizing, altarnative & tasty looking pie.

    all of your used flavours go so well together in here!
    Divine dessert! ;)

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  29. in addition to the luscious innards, i must compliment your crust--it look super crackly and flaky and oh-so-buttery. scrumptious. :)

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  30. That pie looks amazing! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving:-)

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  31. Ufff, I think I'd only add a pinch of rum or cognac to this pie...
    I love the rustic/antique look of your pie. I think it makes it more appealing and appetizing.
    Bravo!

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  32. reminds me of a soft and creamy caramel candy inside! so delightful! :)

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  33. Looks like I found a good use for all those apples in my fridge! Yum... been scouring pie recipes to find one that looks like even I can't mess up. This one looks great!
    http://www.bloomingtastebuds.blogspot.com/

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  34. I love this pie! I am not a huge salty/sweet kick and this one would make me happy.

    I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  35. I think the idea of cheese is a great on too! Love the recipe and your pie looks to die for (as always!)

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  36. Got to love the salt and sweet combination. The tantalizing picture of the butter under the crust offers quite the incentive to try it out!

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