Caramel Apple Walnut Streusel Pie
Submitted by: Lisa G.
For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose King Arthur Flour
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup Crisco, chilled
For the apple filling:
6 cups (approx 6 large) NY Empire and NY Red Rome Apples combined, cut into ¼-inch thick slices
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
¾ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
For the crumble top:
¾ cup flour
¾ to 1 cup unpacked light brown sugar
5 to 6 Tbs. butter
Pinch of cinnamon
For the caramel topping:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup walnuts
For the nuts: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place walnuts on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 10 minutes until nuts are a deep brown color. Let cool, then roughly chop into small pieces. Set aside.
For the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Toss the sliced apples with the mixture to cover apples completely. Set aside.
For the caramel: Mix the water and the sugar in a heavy bottomed, medium-size saucepan. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil until the sugar mixture turns brown. Be careful not to stir or whisk the mixture. Wipe the sides of the sauce pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Watch the caramel carefully so that it does not burn. Once it reaches your desired color, add the butter and gradually add the heavy cream and vanilla. Stir occasionally until caramel dissolves and the sauce is thick and smooth. Place in heat proof, microwave safe bowl. Let cool.
For the pie crust: In medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add the chilled shortening and cut the shortening into the flour mixture using pastry cutter until the Crisco is the size of small peas. Slowly add cold water and stir together using spatula until dough comes together.
Flatten dough into disk and place in plastic wrap, chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.
Roll out dough on floured surface, place in 9-inch pie pan, crimp edges and fill with apple filling mixture.
For the topping: Combine flour, sugar, and butter in small bowl and mix with fork or fingers until well combined and crumbly. Sprinkle over apple filling squeezing it as you cover the apples to create large clumps of crumble.
Bake in oven at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees F and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Topping should be brown and crust golden. Remove from oven. Heat caramel mixture in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until it becomes liquid. Drizzle over top of pie and sprinkle with chopped walnuts then drizzle caramel again over nuts covering completely. Eat warm with vanilla ice cream. Makes one 9-inch pie.
