Some time ago, someone decided to put flaky sea salt into caramel and it blew our minds. Not long after, we started putting salted caramel sauce into everything we could think of. Today, we’re pouring salted caramel straight into an apple pie: pretty much liquid gold mixed into our favorite fall treat. A twist on a caramel apple combined with a flakey-crusted pie – it really doesn’t get better than this!
One thing we love about this Salted Caramel Apple Pie is that you can adapt it to your own busy schedule. If you have the luxury of time and the desire to make everything from scratch, even a homemade, buttery pie crust, then you totally can! Don’t have as much time this busy season? There are certainly a few shortcuts you can take to make these flavors work for you. Accept some help from your local grocer and snag some pre-made pie dough and/or your favorite jarred caramel sauce. Still in a pinch? Pick up a fresh apple pie from the bakery and warm some caramel sauce to drizzle over before serving. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and there you go!
Apple Pie and Lattice Crust
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- pie dough (enough for a double-crusted pie; homemade or store bought)
- 4-5 cups of thinly sliced apples (from about 6-8 medium apples)
- juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup turbinado or raw sugar + more for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (recipe to follow)
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 Tablespoon water
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Peel and core the apples. Add the lemon juice to a large bowl. Thinly slice the apples into about 1/8-inch pieces and place them in the bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and granulated sugar. Add in the flour, cornstarch, spices, 1/4 cup turbinado sugar and a pinch of salt. Gently stir to coat. Set aside.
- Peel and core the apples. Add the lemon juice to a large bowl. Thinly slice the apples into about 1/8-inch pieces and place them in the bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and granulated sugar.
- Add in the flour, cornstarch, spices, 1/4 cup turbinado sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Gently stir to coat. Set aside.
- Sprinkle your work surface with a bit of flour and roll out half of the pie dough until it is about 1/4-1/8 of an inch thick and 2-3 inches larger than your pie pan (10-11 inches in diameter if using an 8-inch pan).
- Fit the pie dough in the pan, leaving at least an inch of overhang around the edges.
- Layer the apple slices by placing them in a few at a time, making sure they fit in snuggly in order to get in as many as possible. Mound the slices on top. Leave behind any juices left in the bowl.
- Pour 1/2 cup caramel sauce over the top.
- Cover with the top crust (or create a lattice — instructions to follow), making sure to cut vents for steam to escape. Crimp the edges to seal together.
- Place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once chilled, brush with an egg wash (one egg whisked with one tablespoon water) and sprinkle with turbinado sugar and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake it in the oven on the bottom rack for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, turn down the heat to 375 degrees. Rotate the pie 180 degrees around and continue to bake for about 30-40 minutes. When done, the top should be golden and the juices bubbling.
- Allow to completely cool, at least two hours, before slicing. Serve with extra caramel sauce, if desired.
Sprinkle your work surface with a bit of flour and roll out half of the pie dough until it is about 1/4-1/8 of an inch thick and 2-3 inches larger than your pie pan (10-11 inches in diameter if using an eight-inch pan). Fit the pie dough in the pan, leaving at least an inch of overhang around the edges. Layer the apple slices by placing them in a few at a time, making sure they fit in snuggly in order to get in as many as possible. Mound the slices on top. Leave behind any juices left in the bowl.
Pour 1/2 cup caramel sauce over the top.
To create a lattice on the top of the pie, roll out the second half of the pie dough to about 1/4-inch thick on a flour-dusted work surface. Roll out to a rectangular shape that is 10-11 inches wide. Using a ruler and a pizza cutter, pastry wheel or paring knife, cut the dough into strips 1-2 inches wide and 10 inches long. It is okay to have some shorter strips, since they will go across the shorter sides of the pie. You will need 7-10 strips, depending on the width.
To create a classic lattice, start by placing the longest strip across the center of the pie. Continue to place more strips, all facing the same direction, until the top is covered. Pull every other strip about halfway back. Working perpendicular to the first set of strips, place another long strip along the folded edge. Replace the pulled-back strips and repeat with the next row. Continue this weaving pattern until the top of the pie is covered. Be sure to leave small gaps in between to allow steam to escape while baking. Trim the strips and bottom crust so that there is at least a one-inch overhang around the whole pie.
Tuck the bottom crust up and over the lattice pieces all the way around the pie. Pinch to seal. Using your fingers, crimp the edges and press into the edge of the pie pan to secure.
Between chilling and baking the assembled pie, brush the top surface with an egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar and flaky salt. This will promote browning in the oven, but be careful not to add too much sugar or it may burn. Also, try to spread around any caramel sauce that may have leaked out between the lattice strips.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
For the Caramel Sauce
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
The longer the sugar cooks and the darker it becomes, the more caramel flavor the sauce will have, but be careful not to let it burn.
- Place the sugar, corn syrup and water in a small saucepan. Stir until combined.
- Heat over high and bring to a boil (without stirring). Continue to cook the sugar until it turns a medium amber color and the bubbles begin to subside.
- Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. Add the butter and salt. Whisk until combined. Pour into a heat-safe container and allow to thicken and cool.
Slowly pour in the cream and stand back. As the cream hits the boiling sugar, it will foam up and spit a bit, but keep stirring!
The caramel will thicken as it cools. It may be stored in the refrigerator in a glass jar. Re-warm in the microwave before using.
Welcome to fall!
