Caramel Apple Pie

By Carolanne

From Wisconsin Apple Growers Association State Fair competition

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 TBSP cold water
• For filling:
• 7 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 TBSP cornstarch
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• For topping:
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
• For caramel and garnish:
• 3 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 TBSP water
• 30 caramels
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Pecan halves

Preparation

Step 1

To make crust, mix flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until it creates fine crumbs. Sprinkle with water and toss until well blended.

Press dough firmly into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to a 13-inch circle. Fit loosely into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Trim and flute edge.

Combine apples, brown sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside.

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir into fruit along with the cinnamon and vanilla. Pour fruit mix into pie shell.

To make crumb topping, combine flour, pecan halves, sugar and salt in food processor, chopping nuts coarsely. Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs. (I chopped nuts and used pastry blender instead of food processor) Refrigerate.

Bake pie on center rack of a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes.

Remove pie from oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees. Sprinkle crumbs over pie, spreading evenly. Return to oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool 1 hour.

Combine butter, water and caramels in the top of a double boiler. Melt over hot, but not boiling, water. Whisk until smooth, then drizzle over pie. Place pecan halves on pie and then sprinkle chopped pecans over top.