The ultimate caramel apple pie recipe

Apple pie is an all-time family favourite, especially when it's made with fresh apples. So what could make it better? Caramel! This simple dish takes a classic pie recipe up a couple of notches for the best caramel apple pie you'll ever taste.

Crust

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup of cold water

Caramel apples

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 lemon, halved
• 8 apples (Granny Smith or Gala work well)
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

Although preparing this recipe takes a bit more work, the results are so outstanding you won't mind doing it again – or making more than one pie at a time.

Making the pie crust

1. Combine the flour and salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Cut in the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like cornmeal.
2. Add the water and continue pulsing until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough in half.
3. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Making the caramel sauce

1. Mix the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar melts and caramelizes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the cream. Return to the heat, add vanilla and continue to cook slowly until the mixture has reduced to about half.
3. Remove from the burner and cool.

Preparing the apple filling

1. Peel the apples and slice them thinly.
2. Roll one of the dough balls on a lightly floured surface until it is the size that will fit a 25-cm square (10 in.) pie dish. Press the dough into the pan and arrange apples to cover the bottom.
3. Pour about 1/4 cup of the caramel mixture over the apple slices and repeat with more apples and sauce. Dot the apple filling with small pieces of butter.

Baking the pie

1. Preheat oven to about 175°C (350°F).
2. Roll the remaining ball of dough and place on top of the pie. Trim and crimp the edges to form a seal and cut slits in the top so that steam can escape. Place a sheet of foil over the pie and place in the oven.
3. After the pie has baked for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven, brush the crust with egg white and sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top.
4. Return the pie to the oven and continue baking for another 25 minutes.
5. After baking, let the pie cool for an hour or more before cutting.

The ultimate caramel apple pie is a dessert that you can serve at a special dinner, a casual get together or just for a family treat. Once you taste it, you'll be glad you took a classic dessert recipe and gave it a sweet twist.