Caramel Apple Pie

 I am in California this week visiting my family with my kids.  it is crazy busy when we are here visiting everyone in just a few days. So that is my reason for not posting many new recipes while gone, but today is a great one and can be put to use very soon!!

With thanksgiving in just a few weeks if you are like me you are starting to think about what great things you will serve this year.  This is my new favorite apple pie you have got to give it a try.  when you do let me know what you think.

A few years ago at thanksgiving I was asked to do the pie.  Pies are not my thing I am not a baker...  My B-I-L Matt that is his job he does the rolls and pies every year and they are wonderful, but he was gone so that torch got passed to me.   I searched the internet for days looking for the perfect apple pie.  This one caught my eye from the food network it won the best apple pie award for the year 2003.  I thought that is exactly what I wanted.

 The pie was easy to make it did take some time but if you have made a pie before you know that all good pies do.

 

Ingredients

Printer friendly recipe

Recipe courtesy Marles Riessland

Pie Crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening, chilled
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten

Filling:

• 6 cups apples (Jonathan or Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter

Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 toffee bars or 3 ounces chocolate covered peanut or pecan brittle, crushed

Directions

Pie Crust:
Chill all ingredients, including the flour and vinegar. Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In another bowl, mix water and vinegar with the beaten egg. Add the liquid mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork to form a soft dough.
Filling:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Peel and slice apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

peeling the apples

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and add apples. Toss to mix. Add vanilla and cream. Melt butter in heavy skillet. Add apple mixture and cook approximately 8 minutes, to soften apples.

cooking

Turn into pie shell.

Streusel Topping:
Combine the flour and sugar. Mix in butter with fork until coarse crumbs. stir in the crushed toffee bars. Sprinkle over pie.

topping on apples

Add top crust. Seal, flute edge and vent top. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

this was my first pie don't judge

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 45 minutes longer.

 

after done cooling slice and serve vanilla ice cream is great with it.  But lets face it what does ice cream not make better?

Hot Caramel Apple Cider

This weekend I hosted a baby shower at my home. With the weather outside being chilly and fall in full swing I was so excited while planning my menu. I knew I wanted to serve a yummy warm apple cider.  I do not drink coffee so it is fun this time of the year to have a few warm drinks.   I searched around and this one at Our Best Bites that sounded good.   Oh boy it was.  Everyone loved it. I have never had real apple cider before.  Only from a little packet that you mix in hot water like hot chocolate.  It is so not the same.  You will love this.  This is the best thing I could think of to warm me up on a cold autumn day!

1/2 gallon apple cider (64 oz or 8 C)(not apple juice)
1/2 C orange juice
1 orange
8 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 t ground allspice
1/3 C jarred caramel sauce
 whipped cream a can is fine!

Begin by pouring 8 C of apple cider into a large stock pot on the stove pot. Set heat to medium-high. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and allspice.

DO not substitute ground Cinnamon or cloves use the real thing.  if you have bulk spices at your store you can just buy what you need and it is cheap if you do not use them  often.

Thoroughly wash your orange and then gently stab the whole cloves into it.


 Put the whole orange into the pot. Bring cider to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer on low for 60 minutes.  Your house will smell great!  I had people come in while I was making mine and they thought it was the best smelling candle ever!   If the orange is cooked too long it could split open if that happens remove immediately it will leave your cider bitter from the pith.  If you leave it on the stove to stay warm remove the orange and keep it on very low.  Before you serve add caramel sauce.  if you want it sweeter add more.

When ready to serve, ladle into mugs, top with whipped cream, and give it a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

 recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Apples dipped in Heaven....

I am featured today over at HowDoesShe.com  . Go over and check it out.  It is a great site with so many wonderful articles, tutorials and advise.   I have loved this blog before and so excited to be on it now.   Missy did a great job with the pictures, thanks for having me.
  Leave them some comment love and tell them what you think!!!

If you missed my dipped apples last week make sure  to click over there and try them soon.  You will not regret it, I promise.
 Picture by Missy smith at HowDoesShe.com

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars...

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars...

   We are  full force in apple season now, we must take advantage of this wonderful time of the year... and eat as many as we can!!  I started making these about 2 years ago and whenever I do people go crazy over them and they are often requested for me to bring to parties.  They are sweet, rich, buttery, appley, gooey...  all things good.

I know it seems like there are a lot of steps, but they really are quite easy. oh yeah & so delicious! try 'em out & let me know what you think!


{caramel apple cheesecake bars}
Printer Friendly version
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel topping, recipe follows

1/2 cup good caramel topping



Streusel Topping


1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg white

 Instructions
In a medium bowl or food processor, mix flour brown sugar & butter. With a pastry cutter or fork, mix until crumbly. Using the back of a measuring cup, press into a foil lined & buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light golden.


In a different bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese & 1/2 cup sugar- beat until smooth. Beat in eggs & vanilla. Mix until all combined. Spread over hot crust.


In a small bowl, mix together 2 TBSP sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg. Stir it into sliced apples. Evenly layer sugared apples on top of cream cheese layer.


To make the streusel topping, mix together brown sugar, flour, oats & softened butter. Using a fork or pastry cutter again, mix until crumbly. Stir in egg whites until evenly mixed in. Spoon over apples. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

photo

Original recipe Paula Dean

Gourmet white chocolate cinnamon caramel apples

Years ago while visiting my cousin in Seattle she served us these apples from rocky mountain chocolate factory I could not get enough, but at $8 each and 3 times as much from stores like Williams and Sonoma and Harry and David that was too spendy for me.  So what is a creative and frugal girl to do… make them myself!!  I knew I could make them for much cheaper and be just as good, if not better because they were made with love . I experimented and figured out it was easy to do, It does take some time, but if you don’t have it there are short cuts to take.   Now they are a staple in our home very fall. 
This week for family night we made these to share with new neighbors who just moved in to welcome them and wish them a happy fall.. This is a classic fall treat that everyone enjoys! I hope you do too

Printer friendly recipe
Ingredients
12 large, tart apples (You can use red apples too but I like the contrast of the Granny smith with the sweets caramel and chocolate)
 Homemade caramel - or 2 bags Kraft caramels if you are short on time
2 bags white chocolate chips  1 T oil for thinning and it helps the chocolate set faster. ( I like a nicer brand like guittard, or white chocolate melting chocolate from a candy or baking supply store. Our Win-Co actually sells it is in bulk it is called white chocolate melty. it works great. I use about 1 and a half pounds.
1/2 cup sugar mixed cinnamon to taste usually about 1-2 teaspoons
 Popsicle/ craft sticks
 Cellophane bags for wrapping
Ribbon for tying and decorating
Any cute tags to attach

Caramel Recipe great for 2 dozen apples or dip some and save some yummy caramel for later
4 cups of sugar
1 can of evaporated milk
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of unsalted butter
1 tsp. of Vanilla
2 cups of light corn syrup
Instructions: Melt butter. In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, syrup, and butter over medium heat. While on the medium heat bring mixture to a rolling boil. Slowly pour milk in as you stir. It takes a while at this point I thought it would never quite get to the right temperature, but just keep stirring. Slow and steady wins the race, do not raise your temperature. The caramel will turn to a caramel color. Cook to a firm ball stage (Drop a little of this syrup in cold water and it will form a firm ball, one that won’t flatten when you take it out of the water, but remains malleable and will flatten when squeezed.) or 240-245 degrees. Once at firm ball stage, take off heat and add vanilla. Stir constantly. Let it cool for five to ten minutes and then test an apple.
Tip1: have all these ingredients ready and pre measured so you do not burn caramel. It works best with a candy thermometer, nice ones are great, but a cheap one from the grocery store will do the job as well.
 Tip2:  once sugar has dissolved to syrup do not re introduce new sugar it will crystallize, keep the sides of your pan and utensils clean.

1. Wash and dry apples. Keep apples cold it works much better. I do an ice bath before then dry them off before dipping or just store in cold fridge beforehand
2. In a medium to large saucepan make caramel. , or melt caramel according to package directions l
3. Put popsicle stick in the apple. Dip in melted caramel making sure to fully coat it. Let it drip drip drip then take a knife to scrap off the bottom so you do not have a a large foot of caramel when dried.
4. Place on parchment or wax paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray heavily or a great non stick cookie sheet sprayed with oil or smear butter.
5. Cool in the fridge until caramel is set up. 2-3 hours is best.
6. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals. You can add a little shortening oil veg, oil if the mixture is too thick.
7. Coat the apple with the chocolate. Again drip drip drip and then scrap excess off.
8. Sprinkling it with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Cool completely in the fridge.
10. wrap up pretty and give them to unsuspecting neighbors, they will love you forever!
11. Save some for yourself and enjoy.  You deserve it, you are fabulous, yes you are!!
Happy Fall! 

Cute gift too, this is what we left on doorsteps!