Caramel Apple Pie

This is one of the few desserts I get requested to make, often. While a staple on the Thanksgiving dessert table, I’ve also made for July Fourth block parties and family birthdays. You can absolutely make your own pie crust here, but store bought works amazing well. While not low calorie (or sugar), this uses minimal salt to create complex caramel flavors combined with the tartness of the apples.

Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1/4 Cup water
• 1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon, plus dusting for apples
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-5 apples (I prefer Granny Smith), peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 Package pie crust (two crusts for top and bottom)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees
2. In a sauce pan, add butter, sugars, water, cinnamon and salt over medium high heat and bring to a boil stirring frequently. Once bubbling, remove from heat and set aside to cool a bit. After about 10 minutes, stir in the vanilla.
3. Follow instructions on pie crust packaging and open first crust, or roll out bottom crust layer and place in the bottom of a deep dish pie pan. Add sliced apples evenly and optionally add a sprinkling of cinnamon.
4. Pour caramel sauce over sliced apples reserving about 1/4 cup in the pan.
5. Taking the second pie crust, roll out and cut into seven or eight strips about 1-1.5 inch in width. Create a lattice with the strips, alternating over and under. Carefully transfer lattice on top of the apples. Press and crimp the top crust to the bottom, using either the pinch method or the tongs of a fork.
6. Using a silicon or basting brush, “paint” the top lattice crust with the reserved caramel sauce.
7. Place pie onto a parchment lined baking sheet and place on center rack of preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F degrees and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
8. Remove pie from oven and let cool completely.
9. Serve any way you like; chilled, room temperature or slightly warmed either in the microwave (10 seconds on high) or a warmed over, like after all the cooking on Thanksgiving day.

Salt Swaps:

• Unsalted butter. Always for baking.