Caramel Apple Crumble Pie – Indulge, in the Caramel Apple Crumble Pie, a dessert that will steal the spotlight on your dining table. With its blend of caramel apples and a buttery, flaky crust this pie embodies pure comfort food. Let me guide you through each step from creating the topping to crafting the pie base ensuring that your creation is nothing short of perfection.
I still remember the first time I made this Caramel Apple Crumble Pie. It was an autumn evening, when I wrapped myself in my sweater and turned my kitchen into a sanctuary. The enticing aroma of cinnamon and caramel filled every corner of the house promising warmth and joy. My husband’s insatiable sweet tooth and my little ones’ eager anticipation brought them both to the kitchen. Their verdict? Pure bliss with every mouthful—and since then it has become a family favorite.
What makes this Caramel Apple Crumble Pie truly stands out?
This pie is more than a dessert; it’s an experience that stimulates all your senses. The delicate yet buttery crust serves as a foundation, for a combination of apples infused with cinnamon goodness all intertwined with luscious caramel notes. What truly steals the show? A delightful golden topping, with a texture that provides a contrast, to the tender filling below. The exceptional aspect of this Caramel Apple Crumble Pie lies in its balanced combination of textures and flavors that blend harmoniously in each slice. Moreover it brings back memories of goodness and adds happiness to any dining experience it becomes a part of.
What You Need To Make This Caramel Apple Crumble Pie Recipe?
Pastry Base:
Flour: Our pastry foundation relies on flour which gives it a structure resulting in a delightful crispy finish that perfectly complements the delectable filling.
Unsalted Butter: Cold and diced for convenience this is the ingredient that lends our pie crust its texture melting effortlessly in your mouth.
Icing Sugar: To strike a balance, between sweetness and savory notes we add a touch of icing sugar to enhance the flavors of apple and caramel without overpowering them.
Egg Yolk: The golden binding agent not only enriches the dough but also imparts a tenderness to the baked crust adding to its overall richness.
Pie Filling:
Cooking Apples: We carefully select firm cooking apples as they serve as the heart of our pie. These apples hold their shape beautifully while providing a contrast to the sweetness of the dish.
Light Brown Sugar: With its caramel undertones light brown sugar deepens. Enhances the flavor profile of our filling. It adds moisture. Imparts a molasses-like sweetness that is vital for achieving harmony within our pie.
Ground Cinnamon: A beloved classic spice known for its warmth and gentle spiciness. Cinnamon acts as a companion to apple, in any dessert creation bringing out its essence.
Caramel: It’s the luxurious layer that runs through the pie giving it a velvety texture and a rich toffee-like taste that makes every bite feel like a treat.
Crumble Mix:
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Flour: We use the same quality plain flour to make a crumble that is wonderfully crispy ensuring a satisfying crunch, in each mouthful.
Caster Sugar: Finer than sugar it blends, into the crumble topping, adding a delicate sweetness that forms a beautiful crust as it bakes.
Unsalted Butter: Again we incorporate diced butter into the crumble mixture. It’s truly the star of the show creating pockets of buttery heaven amidst the peaks and valleys of flour.
Steps To Make Caramel Apple Crumble Pie:
Step 1: I toss the flour, sugar, butter, and yolk into the food processor, and within moments—magic! The dough comes together. It’s then rolled out, laid into a tin, and chilled before blind-baking to golden perfection.
Step 2: The apples are stewed just to the point of tenderness—still with a bite, you know? It’s a delicate dance with the heat, the fruit, and the cinnamon-sugar blend, but oh, when it’s done right, it’s heavenly.
Step 3: The crumble mix is a rustically charming affair; rub the ingredients until it’s like breadcrumbs, then layer it over the apple-caramel duet. The bake transforms it into a golden landscape of crunch and flavor.
Tip:
One of the baker’s secret weapons in achieving the perfect pastry for this Caramel Apple Crumble Pie is the art of chilling—twice. First, after blending your pastry ingredients, wrap the dough and let it rest in the refrigerator. This initial chill relaxes the gluten you’ve worked up during mixing, making the dough easier to roll out and preventing shrinkage during baking.
But here’s the real pro move: after you’ve lined your tart tin with the rolled-out pastry, pop it into the fridge for a second time. This second chill is crucial—it firms up the fat in the pastry, which means less spreading and slumping in the oven. It also helps to keep that crimped or fluted edge you’ve so artfully crafted perfectly intact, ensuring your pie is as beautiful as it is delicious.
By respecting the double chill, you ensure a pie base that’s not only structurally sound but also possesses the perfect texture—a crisp, flaky foundation that’s worthy of the sumptuous caramel apple filling it cradles.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use store-bought pastry?
Of course! Using store-bought pastry is absolutely fine. While making your own pastry has its appeal using store-bought can be an option, on busy days.
Is it possible to overcook the apples?
Yes, it’s possible to overcook the apples. It is recommended to keep them firm before placing them in the oven as they will continue to cook while, inside the pie.
Can I freeze this pie?
Definitely! You can freeze this pie without any issues. Simply bake it completely allow it to cool down then wrap it up and put it in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy it thaw it in the refrigerator. Then warm it up in the oven before serving.
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Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Caramel Apple Crumble Pie
Ingredients
Pastry Base:
- 175 grams plain flour
- 100 grams unsalted butter cold and diced
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
Pie Filling:
- 500 grams cooking apples peeled and cored
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 100 grams caramel
Crumble Mix:
- 120 grams plain flour
- 60 grams caster sugar
- 60 grams unsalted butter cold and diced
Instructions
To make the pastry base:
- Start by mixing 175 grams of flour with a tablespoon of icing sugar. Then add 100 grams of unsalted butter and cut it into the mixture. Next, incorporate an egg yolk and a tablespoon of water. Use a food processor to pulse everything together until the dough comes together.
- Now roll out the dough on a floured surface until it reaches the thickness of a coin. Line a tin that measures around 23 to 25 cm with the rolled-out dough. Trim any edges. Use additional dough to patch up any gaps, in the crust. Put the tin in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C for fan ovens). Once chilled line the pastry in the tin with parchment paper. Fill it with baking beans to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Bake it "blind" for 15 minutes. Then remove both beans and parchment paper from the inside. Continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes until brown. Allow it to cool down while, in the tin.
For the pie filling:
- Begin by cutting 500 grams of apples into inch pieces. In a pan combine these apple pieces with 100 grams of sugar, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and two tablespoons of water. Cook this mixture over medium heat while stirring continuously for around five minutes.
- Next cover the pan. Let everything simmer for five minutes while making sure that the apples retain their firmness.
- If they soften quickly take them off the heat to avoid them becoming too mushy.
Assembly & Baking:
- To make the crumble, mix together 120 grams of flour, 60 grams of caster sugar and 60 grams of cold unsalted butter cut into pieces until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Put the apple mixture into the baked pastry shell. Scatter 100 grams of caramel, on top.
- Sprinkle the mixture over the caramel apple layer. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan), for 25 to 30 minutes until the crumble turns golden.
- Allow the pie to cool for 30 minutes before removing it from the tin. Serve warm or chilled according to your preference.
- Savor this Caramel Apple Crumble Pie with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy it on its own for a truly comforting taste of autumn.
Notes
I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!
