Dutch Caramel Apple Pie

Now you can’t have Thanksgiving with out the traditional pies! Apple pies are always a must! I gave this one a little twist and added caramel inside the pie and topped it with a little crisp topping! You can’t go wrong here! The apples are lightly tossed with caramel and then there’s always a little extra to drizzle over the top.

Ingredients

Caramel

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pie Filling

• 1 9 in pie crust (homemade is preferred but store bought is good too)*
• 4 cups honey crisp and McIntosh apples, peeled and large diced
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Crumb topping

• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup oats
• 5 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

For the caramel–

In a medium sauce pan, melt the sugar over medium low heat, until it’s completely melted. Swirling the pan gently every 20 seconds. It will start to clump a little but it will eventually melt slowly. Just make sure it doesn’t burn. It will turn a beautiful golden.

Then once it’s melted, remove it from the heat immediately and stir in the butter. It will start to violently bubble, that’s what you want.

Then pour in the heavy cream vanilla extract and sea salt. Stir until everything is evenly combined. Pour it into a small bowl and let it cool before using.

Pie Filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

While you prep the filling blind bake the crust. Line it with tin foil or parchment and fill with rice, beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Remove the tin foil and weights

In a large bowl combine the apples, sugar, spices, lemon, salt, and flour. Mix until it’s all combined. Pour 3/4 of the caramel over the apples and gently toss. Reserve the other 1/4 to drizzle on top. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Set aside and make the crisp.

For the crisp in a medium bowl add the brown sugar, flour, oats and melted butter and cinnamon and mix it all together until it’s combined and sprinkle over the top of the apples. Place the pie on a baking sheet pan. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. If it starts to get to brown tent some tin foil over the top. Once out of the oven let cool completely and store in the fridge. Serve cold or warm with a little ice cream.

Pie Crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 stick unsalted cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4-6 tbsp ice cold water

In a food processor with a metal blade attachment add in the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse together until combined. Add in the cubed butter. Pulse it until the butter is pea size and mixed well in. Then with the motor running slowly add in the water. The dough should just come together. Turn out onto a floured surface and with a little extra flour for dusting so it doesn’t stick, form it into a disk wrap in plastic wrap and let chill for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

Once you’re ready to use it roll out to a large circle about 1/4-1/8 inch thick. Roll onto baking dish and fill with the apples.