Salted Caramel Apple Pie from Twenty Blackbirds Bakery

Salted Caramel Apple Pie
from Melissa and Emily Elsen of Four and Twenty Blackbirds Bakery in Brooklyn, N.Y.

I had to make pies to take to a holiday party.

This looked so good, just had to try it.

The pie got rave reviews!

Ingredients

Pie Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

8 to 10 tablespoons ice water mixed with 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Salted Caramel

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (Maldon flake is a good choice)

Apple Filling

5 to 6 medium to large apples (Crispin, Granny Smith, Cortland)

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup raw sugar (castor or turbinado)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 to 3 dashes Angostora bitters

2 tablespoons flour

1. To make pie crust, combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. (To mix by hand, cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender, two knives, or your hands.)
2. Add water mixture a little at a time, while pulsing, until dough forms a ball. Divide into 2 discs, wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour or more.
3. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan.
4. Roll out one disc to fit pan. Place in bottom of pan, allowing sides to overlap rim.
5. To prepare salted caramel, cook sugar and water together over low heat until just dissolved. Add butter and bring to a slow boil. Continue cooking at a low boil until mixture turns a deep, golden brown color. Be careful not to burn caramel—remove from heat before it smokes or turns very dark.
6. Remove from heat and immediately add heavy cream. Mixture will bubble and steam. Be cautious, as sugar will be very hot. Whisk mixture together over low heat and sprinkle in sea salt. Set aside.
7. To prepare apple filling, core, peel and thinly slice apples. Combine with lemon juice and remaining ingredients.
8. Place half the apple filling in pan. Pour half the caramel over top. Layer remaining apple filling and then caramel.
9. Roll out remaining pie dough and cut into strips. Place in a lattice pattern over apples. Crimp edges of crust. Brush with beaten egg and lightly sprinkle with sea salt and sugar.
10. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325F and continue baking 25 to 35 minutes. Test doneness of apples with a long toothpick or small knife. They should be just soft. Let cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

Apples that are cut with seasoning on them.

Another picture of the apples before they went into the pie shell.

This was the caramel - yummy!

Apples in the pie shell before I put the lattice on top.

Lattice with apples in the pie shell.

Finished!
Apple pie is ready to go to the party.

 
Seriously yummy if I must say so.
The pie was just delicious.
Thanks, Melisa + Emily!

A new twist on an old favorite, apple pie.
Try it, dear readers-
Let me know how it turned out.

Love,





Peggy

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