Caramel Apple Pie

Hi all,

I made this first for Thanksgiving with the hubby's family. I was rushed and nervous, had trouble rolling out the dough, ended up making more dough at the last minute, but successfully threw it all together. I was privy to the first slice and when I took my first bite, I glared at hubby and said "you better go get your own, because you're not having any of mine." He rushed over to get some and was glad he did. It disappeared.

I'm not a big baker, but this is worth making. It's the best apple pie I've ever had.

This recipe is a compilation of tips from my mother and the recipe found here.

Crust Ingredients:

-1 1/2 cups Crisco

-1 tsp salt

-2 tsp milk

-1/2 cup boiling water

-4 cups flour

Note: I don't make the traditional crust with butter. I make a "hot water crust" with Crisco, (super easy). It turns out thicker, which I think is more rustic and country-style. It's not a crust that you make look pretty, it's something you throw over a huge pile of apples and caramel and balances out all the different sugars. Also, this will make extra dough. You only need 3/4 of it at max. I recommend making the top layer thicker than you normally would, but I just love crust.

Crust Directions:

1. Dump Crisco, salt, and milk in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over. Stir or whisk until creamy and fluffy (I used a fork to begin, and a whisk to finish it).

2. Pour in the flour. Using a spatula, make broad, round strokes to integrate the flour. When crumbly, use hands to finish mixing, but don't over-knead it. Place in freezer while preparing filling (about 30 min) or fridge overnight.

Pie Ingredients:

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-1/4 cup butter

-5 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced into thin pieces-1/3 cup flour

-2/3 cup sugar

-3 tbs flour

-1 tsp lemon juice

-2 tsp ground cinnamon

-20 caramel pieces, halved

-milk & sugar to brush over pie

Pie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. To Make Taffy: In a small bowl combine brown sugar, melted butter or margarine, and 1/3 cup flour. Mix well and set aside.
3. To Make Apple Filling: Place apples in a large bowl. Add white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Toss until all ingredients are mixed well and apples are thoroughly coated. Feel free to add a bit more sugar
   and cinnamon to taste.
4. Split pastry into halves. Use 1/4 for the bottom and 1/2 for the top. Use the rest for mini pies filled with jam! Roll out bottom of pastry and place in pie-dish (deep dish is better).
5. Spoon half of apple filling into pan. Top with half of caramels and half of taffy mixture. Repeat process with remaining apple filling, caramels and taffy mixture.
   
6. Roll out top of pastry and place over pie. Seal well!!! (Important to prevent caramel from boiling out!) Cut off excess pastry.
7. Cut steam vents and brush top crust with milk and sugar.
8. Cover pie with foil and place on a baking sheet (important!). Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil from pie and bake for another half hour or so, until crust is golden. The thicker your crust, the longer it will take. Serve warm.

ENJOY!