Caramel Apple Crumb Pie

By daiseyduck

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 5 tablespoons water
• For the caramel:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream at room temperature
• For the crumb topping:
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted
• For the filling:
• 3 pounds baking apples (8 – 10 large apples) cored, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Details

Servings 10
Adapted from cookware.lecreuset.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place all ingredients for the crust, minus the water, into a bowl and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Remove from freezer and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until the butter is broken up and it is a coarse texture. Continue to pulse while adding water through the pour spout one tablespoon at a time. Pulse until the dough starts to come together into a ball.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll it out onto a floured work surface. Fit into the pie plate and crimp the edges. Return the crust to the freezer for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan combine the water and the sugar, making sure not to get any sugar on the side of the pot. Stir to moisten all of the sugar.

Heat the water and sugar over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is boiling. Add the butter and continue to cook until the mixture becomes a golden amber brown, being careful not to burn.

Remove from heat and carefully add the cream. It will bubble and splatter. Whisk until smooth and return to low heat if it hardens. Set aside.

Melt butter and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients together with a fork. While stirring with the fork, slowly drizzle in the butter and mix until you have uneven lumps and crumbs. Set aside.

Mix sliced apples with sugar, flour and cinnamon.

Spread 1/3 of the apples in the bottom of the pie shell. Drizzle with 1/3 of the caramel. Add next 1/3 of the apples and caramel. Add the last third of the apples and cover with crumb topping. Reserve the last of the caramel for serving.