Monday, November 26, 2012

Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie

When it comes right down to it, I'm a cherry pie kinda gal. A generous slice of cherry pie, warmed in the microwave, and topped with a scoop of ice cream, is just about as perfect as it gets for me. I'm such a cherry pie fanatic that I'll pretty much always turn my nose up at its rival, the apple pie. I just think that even your standard grocery store cherry pie is always tart and tingly, but those same apple pies can be mushy, grainy, gelatinous, and sad. And who wants to eat pie that tastes of sad?! But a couple years ago, after a fall outing to our local pick-your-own, my friends and I stumbled upon a Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie recipe on Epicurious.com. I'm sure I was a brat about having to make an apple pie, but I trust my friends when it comes to food, so we made it. And it was SO GOOD.







Still, there were a few things I thought needed to be tweaked, which I obviously tried out when I made this for myself. The original recipe calls for a strudel topping with pumpkin pie spice. Meh, strudel. I prefer the buttery flakeyness of a double crust, latticed if you don't want it to be too heavy (and because looking at a lattice top pie that you made yourself will make you feel like a god damn rockstar. I promise.) I'm also not really a fan of premixed spices. If you're working with fresh, seasonal apples, they should be the breakout star of this pie -- anything else is just there to give their flavor depth and dimension.



I used a couple different types of apples, including Granny Smiths, that were described as good pie apples at the Farmer's Market. A few dashes from various (individual) spice jars, a tablespoon or two of bourbon and voila! An apple pie that makes even the stanchest of cherry pie fanatics happy. Enjoy!

Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie

Adapted from Epicurious.com


Ingredients:
1 double pie crust (I used the Buttery Double Crust recipe from Vegan Pie in the Sky)

8 apples (Granny Smith or a combination of good pie apples)
¼ c. flour
a dash
each of allspice, nutmeg, and ground cloves
3 shakes of cinnamon

1¼ c. sugar
¼ c. + 2 TBSP water, separated
3 TBSP Earth Balance Margarine
2 TBSP Bourbon

Core, peel, and slice apples approximately ¼ to ½ an inch think, and set aside in a large bowl. Combine the flour, allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves, and cinnamon and add the mixture to your bowl of apples. Toss to coat and set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan, mix the sugar and ¼ c. of water over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Then, increase the heat until your mixture reaches a rolling boil. Continue to boil until the syrup turns a deep amber color, about 5 minutes. [I always get paranoid at this part, but a wise someone once told me that although sugar goes from syrupy goodness to burnt mess really quickly, you’ll definitely know when that’s about to happen. So don’t take it off the stove before 5 minutes or you’ll lose out on a really good caramel flavor.] Once the syrup is that deep amber color, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the Earth Balance, bourbon, and water. The mixture will bubble and hiss at you but don’t panic, that’s what’s supposed to happen. Return the saucepot to the stove and swirl until the Earth Balance is melted. Then pour the caramel over the apples and quickly toss to coat. Let the filling sit for 5-10 minutes, so that the apples release their juices. The caramel will harden, but that’s okay.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

While the filling sits and the oven preheats, place one of the double crusts in a 9-10 inch pie plate. And make sure it’s a deeper pie dish (at least 1¾ in. high), or you may have some spillage in the oven. Carefully spoon the apples and caramel chunks into the pie plate. 


Now if you wanted to save some time, you could just place the other pie crust on top of your filling. (Be sure to cut 3 steam slits in the center of it, and crimp your edges together.) But if you want to make pie like a rock star, follow these handy dandy illustrations courtesy of Bon Appetit (the pictures are way easier to follow than the written directions):


Yes! Bake pie for about 1 hour and 5 or 10 minutes, until apples are tender and the lattice and crust are golden brown. Let the pie sit for an hour, more if you can stand it. It makes a nicer looking slice than the delicious apple slop I plated for myself. No matter, it didn’t last long.




If you make anything from this blog, make.this.pie. It's really amazing. In fact, a very discerning palate informed me that this is the "best f**king pie you've ever made" -- and how can you ignore a review like that?!


Combine apple wedges and 1/4 cup flour in large bowl and toss to coat. Let stand while preparing caramel.
Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup turns deep amber color, brushing pan sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Return to heat and stir until smooth. Pour caramel over apples; toss to coat. Let stand until apples release juices, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to 9 1/2-inch-diameter glass pie dish with 1 3/4-inch-high sides. Crimp edges decoratively. Spoon apple mixture into prepared crust. Sprinkle streusel over pie.
Bake pie until apples are tender and streusel is golden, covering crust edge with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool at least 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Deep-Dish-Caramel-Apple-Pie-100341#ixzz2DHbRABnJ
Combine apple wedges and 1/4 cup flour in large bowl and toss to coat. Let stand while preparing caramel.
Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup turns deep amber color, brushing pan sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Return to heat and stir until smooth. Pour caramel over apples; toss to coat. Let stand until apples release juices, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to 9 1/2-inch-diameter glass pie dish with 1 3/4-inch-high sides. Crimp edges decoratively. Spoon apple mixture into prepared crust. Sprinkle streusel over pie.
Bake pie until apples are tender and streusel is golden, covering crust edge with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool at least 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Deep-Dish-Caramel-Apple-Pie-100341#ixzz2DHbRABnJ

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