Salted Caramel Apple Pie

If you have not tasted salted caramel, NOW is the time...and trust me, you don't want to miss it. I made a batch of excellent salted caramel using Nigella Lawson's recipe and has been loving it since. With a bottle of salted caramel and a sack of apple sitting in the fridge, I bought some pre-made pastry crust and decided to make salted caramel apple pie.

Pie Crust:
Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan.

Mix 1 egg yolk & 1 tablespoon cream and set aside for later use.

Apple Filling:
2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) tarty apples(about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

1 large pinch raw sugar for garnish
1 small pinch sea salt (Maldon or fleur de sel is nice) for garnish

Make the apple filling:
In a large bowl combine the sliced apples with the sugars, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use your hands to gently mix and coat the apple slices.

Assemble the pie:
1. Preheat the oven to 205 degree Celcius (400 degrees F).

2. Begin by layering 1/3 of the apples in the bottom of the crust so that there are minimal gaps. Pour 1/3 of the caramel over the apples. 

3. Add 1/3 of the apples and caramel for a second layer, and then add a third layer of apples, and then the caramel again. Save a small portion of the caramel for garnishing.
4. Assemble the lattice crust and flute the edges of the crust. 

5. Use the prepared egg & cream mixture, brush the crust with this egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar and sea salt.

6. Bake the pie on a baking sheet larger than the pie pan for 20 minutes (otherwise the caramel will bubble over and burn on the bottom of your oven). 

7. Reduce the oven temperature to (170C) 350F and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes. The apples should be just tender to be done.

8. Cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes (from the total baking time).
9. Let the pie cool. Drizzle the entire top lattice with caramel sauce. Slice and enjoy.

The pie can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you happen to have vanilla ice cream, serve it together with the pie, yummy :)