Caramel Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Note: The pastry crust recipe is listed below the main recipe. I omitted it from the upper recipe in case you wanted to use a pre-made crust instead. If you do the pastry recipe, make sure to make the dough first and allow it to sit in the refrigerator while the apples are cooking.

1. In a large pan, simmer the butter, apples, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium low heat for 20 minutes or until cooked through and tender.

2. Add flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, to thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. Prepare a glass bottom pie pan (8 or 9 inch) by layering one of the crusts (store bought or recipe below) on the bottom.

Note: I love to make homemade pastry. But I will be honest, there are times when I just don’t have the time. I have found that the rolled crusts found in the refrigerated section are perfectly fine. Just make sure to allow them to come to room temperature for 25 minutes on the counter before using. Do not use the microwave technique found on many packages. This technique makes the dough gummy!

4. Pour the cooled apple mixture into the bottom crust, mounding more in the middle.

5. Place the top crust over the pie and crimp the edges together to close. Cut vent holes into the top crust to allow steam to escape.

6. Create an egg wash by beating the egg and water together in a small bowl. Lightly brush the egg wash onto the top crust.

7. If you want, you can put the pie plate on top of a larger rimmed baking pan (to catch any overflow). Bake for 15-18 minutes, watching it closely. You only have to bake until the crusts are brown and cooked since the filling is already completely done. If your edges begin to cook too fast, cover them with aluminum foil and allow the top to brown to the desired golden color.

8. Remove pan from oven. Allow pie to cool for a couple of minutes before slicing.

For the pastry (yields 2 crusts):

1. In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine flour and salt. Add the butter to the flour and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand or peas. Slowly stream the ice water into the running processor. You may not need all the ice water; you just want to add enough until the flour mixture comes together as a ball.

2. Remove dough from the processor onto a lightly floured board. Pull it together into a ball and cut the ball in half. Wrap the individual dough balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. When ready to use, remove from the fridge and use a rolling pin to roll each half out on a lightly floured surface. Roll it until it’s nice and thin but it only needs to be as big as your pie pan.