Caramel Apple Pie With an All-Butter Crust and Painted Cutout Topping

By michellecresta

Ingredients

• FOR THE FILLING
• 4 tablespoons (56 grams/1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 10 medium (about 4 pounds) apples, such as Honeycrisp, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 cup (212 grams) dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2/3 cup (132 grams) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (83 grams) all-purpose flour

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

Make the filling: In a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally, until its solids begin to brown and the mixture smells nutty, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg and toss until combined. Cook, stirring frequently, until a smooth, glossy sauce forms and thickly coats the apples, 4 to 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and flour until combined. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples in the pot and stir well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, resembling a caramel sauce. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and cool completely.
Transfer the cooled pie filling to the par-baked crust and place in the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the filling appears a bit matte on the surface. If needed, cover the crust edges with foil to prevent over-browning.
Transfer the pie pan to a wire rack and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Decorate the warm pie with the cooled cutouts — they tend to “stick” to the filling a bit better, which can allow for easier slicing.