SALLY'S SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE

SALLY'S SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE image

Yield 8 slices

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE
Makes 1 pie, 10-12 slices. The dough may be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. The pie is best served the same day, but may be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ingredients:
Basic Pie Dough
2 and 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
6 Tablespoons (90 grams) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
3/4 cup (154 grams) vegetable shortening, chilled*
2/3 cup (160 ml) ice water
Filling
homemade salted caramel sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
6 large apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced* (use a variety for better flavor, such as Pink Lady, Granny Smith, or Honey Crisp)
1/4 cup (31 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
coarse sugar for topping
Directions:
Make the crust first: Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembled coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). Slowly drizzle in the ice water and stir with a large spoon until the dough begins to clump. Do not add any more water than you need to. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and, using your hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily but should not feel overly sticky. Form into a ball. Divide in half, then flatten each into a 1-inch disk and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. For a visual guide to making this crust, see my step-by-step photos.
Make the caramel using my step-by-step photos as a visual guide. Do this as you wait for the dough to chill.

Steps:

Next, make the apple filling as the dough is still chilling: Put the lemon zest and lemon juice into a very large bowl. Add the apples and toss gently. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar. Pour over the apples and gently toss to combine. Set aside. Roll out the chilled pie crust: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the balls of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9x2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and discard. Fill the pie crust with the apples. There are a lot of apples, but pile them tightly and very high. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the salted caramel, reserving the rest for topping. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Make the lattice crust: Remove the other ball of chilled dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out, 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut 16 strips 1/2 inch wide. I always use a clean measuring tape or ruler as a guide to assure the lines are straight. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. Using a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang. Clamp down the edges of the dough with a fork or your fingers. Brush the lattice top with the beaten egg. A very thin coating - you don't want scrambled eggs on top of your dough. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375F and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes. If the top of your pie is getting too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.