Prep time: 2 hours
Bake time: 50 to 60 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Makes: one 9-inch DoublE-Crust pie (6 to 8 slices)
There is something absolutely wonderful about being encouraged to dream in pie. Some pies, like the Thanksgiving Dinner Pies (page 153) and the Earl Grey Cream Pie in a Sugar Cookie Crust (page 147), came into existence after I thought long and hard about very specific flavors. Other pies, like Bourbon Bacon Pecan Pie (page 81) and this rosemary-infused caramel apple pie, came about because I wanted to add something surprising and wonderful to an old favorite. I tried a lot of different caramel apple combinations, and while most of them were good, none of them were exciting enough to warrant the title “dream pie.” But something magical happened when I infused sweet buttery caramel with the earthy flavor of rosemary and paired that with tart green Granny Smiths. I simply fell in love with this pie. How wondrous to dream up a pie and have it work so well that even I went back for seconds.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
About 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (7 cups)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus up to 1/4 cup extra for rolling out the crust
2 disks dough from Whole Wheat Crust (page 28)
1. To make the caramel, place 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan, add the sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add the sprig of rosemary, turn up the heat to medium, and let the mixture come to a simmer, about 5 minutes.
2. Let the caramel cook slowly, without stirring, until it turns a warm amber color, 8 to 15 minutes, carefully removing the rosemary sprig with a fork about halfway through. It’s very easy to burn caramel, so keep a close eye on the pot; if it seems to be browning too quickly, turn down the heat a bit and let it cook more slowly (it will take longer to reach the proper temperature and color). If the mixture begins to smoke or turns black, the caramel is past the point of no return and you should rinse out your pot and begin again (sorry).
3. As soon as the caramel reaches the right color, remove the pot from the heat and immediately whisk in the heavy cream. (The cream is much colder than the caramel, so it will bubble and steam pretty intensely; I like to use a large whisk so I have more distance between my hand and the pot of boiling sugar.) Quickly whisk everything together until the caramel has settled. Stir in the butter until it melts; the caramel will be a light tan color and should be smooth. If it’s not smooth, put it back on the stovetop over very low heat and whisk until any lumps of crystallized sugar disappear. Transfer the caramel to a heat-proof bowl or large measuring cup and put it into the fridge to cool.
4. Place the apples in a large bowl, add the flour, and toss to coat. Set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position.
6. Prepare the bottom crust: Place one disk of the dough on a floured work surface and with a floured rolling pin roll it into a rough 11-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick. Lay the crust into a 9-inch pie dish, gently press it in, and trim any excess dough from the edge with a paring knife, being sure to leave a 3/4-inch overhang.
7. Layer half of the sliced apples into the bottom crust and drizzle evenly with about half of the cooled caramel sauce. Layer the remaining apples over the caramel and pour the rest of the sauce over the top (alternatively, set aside 1/4 cup of the sauce to drizzle over the top of the baked pie).
8. Prepare the top crust: On a floured work surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out the remaining dough disk into a rough 12-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick. Carefully lay the crust on top of the filling, and trim any excess dough from the edge, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Tuck the overhanging dough under the edge of the bottom crust, and crimp the two crusts together, pressing firmly to seal (apples get very juicy). Cut a few small slits in the top crust with a sharp knife.
9. Set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the filling is thickly bubbling and the crust is golden brown (cover the crimp with foil if it begins to brown too quickly), 50 to 60 minutes Let cool to room temperature before serving.
And don’t forget to check out the book!
About the Book:
Teeny Lamothe is a young woman on a mission—and the mission is pie. Charming, passionate, determined, Teeny traveled America to work with the country’s best bakers and learn their techniques, tricks, and wisdom. Now she shares the fruits of her apprenticeship—the crumbs and crusts of her crusade—in Teeny’s Tour of Pie, a delectable journey into total pie immersion.
Here are more than 55 pies, sweet and savory, plus a complete crust primer, and all of it seasoned throughout with Teeny’s humor and inspiration. There are fruit pies: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Lemony Blueberry Crumb Pie, Rosemary-Infused Caramel Apple Pie. Cream pies: Zested Lime Curd Pie, French Silk Pie. Traditional pies—Sweet Potato Pie, Shoofly Pie, Chess Pie—and unexpected pies—Peanut Butter Brownie Pie with a Pretzel Crust, Bourbon Bacon Pecan Pie. And savory pies, too, like Thanksgiving Dinner Pie with a Stuffing Crumble. Teeny is a gifted baker and writer who demystifies every step. She explains why to add vodka to the pie crust; what to do when the dough is sticky or tears; how to cut and weave a lattice topping. There are the 5 Commandments of Crust and more than 10 no-fail crust recipes, even including one gluten-free. Plus she shows how to make “teeny” pies—her specialty, using a 5-inch pie pan—from the recipes.
Buy the Book
Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Workman
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