Pie Crust

Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour (plus more for shaping and rolling)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • 2/3 cup  Crisco, chilled
  • 1/2 cup ice cold water

Instructions

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.

Add the butter and Crisco. Using two forks, cut the butter and Crisco into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every tablespoon has been added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. Do not add any more water than you need.

Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Use a sharp knife to cut it in half. Gently flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands.

Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.

 

Salted Caramel

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and sliced into 6 pieces
  • 1/2 cup  heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Heat granulated sugar in a medium heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan (do not use nonstick) over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat-resistant silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir.  Be careful not to burn it.

Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, stir constantly as you very slowly pour in the heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added.

After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils. If you’d like to be precise and use a candy thermometer, the temperature will rise to about 220°F.

Remove from heat and stir in the salt. The caramel will be a thin liquid at this point. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.

 

Pie Filling

  • 10 cups 1/4-inch-thick apple slices (about 8 large peeled and cored apples; I used 4 Honey crisp
  • and 4 Granny Smith)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir the apple slices, sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish that’s 1.5 to 2 inches deep. Tuck the dough in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth.

Spoon the filling into the crust. It will seem like a lot of apples; that’s ok. Pile them high, and tightly together. Drizzle evenly with 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce.

Finish assembling: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 to 14 inches diameter. Place over the filling and crimp the crust edges to seal.

Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash.

Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Then, keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 375°F. Continue baking the pie until the caramel apple filling is bubbling around the edges, 35–40 more minutes. If the crust starts to brown too much, cover with foil.

Remove pie from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Drizzle the entire pie or each slice with remaining salted caramel.