Deep-Dish Caramel Apple Pie

Deep-Dish Caramel Apple Pie

Double Crust Pie Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
10-12 tablespoons ice water

5 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
30 caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

To make the crust, in a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Work the butter in, using a pastry blender or your fingers, until pea-sized lumps form. Sprinkle in the water, 1 tbsp. at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition and adding only enough of the water to form a rough mass.

Using floured hands, pat the dough into two smooth, flattened discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before rolling out.

Preheat oven broiler. Place apples on a large sheet pan. Broil 5-6 minutes, stirring once, until apples start turning golden brown; remove apples from oven and place in a large mixing bowl.

Melt the caramels and milk together in the microwave and stir well; stir in vanilla, cinnamon and ginger until combined. Stir caramel mixture into apples until combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll one dough disc out thinly on a floured surface, using a rolling pin, and fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, and place on a cookie sheet; fill pie shell with caramel apples. Roll out additional dough disc and top apples; trim and flute edges. Slice some cuts in the center of pie. Brush a little milk whisked together with an egg evenly over pie dough and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 40 minutes (covering with foil in the last fifteen minutes) or until deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve with caramel sauce, toasted pecans, and vanilla ice cream.

Makes 8 servings