Weren't you in love with caramel apples when you were a kid?
Do you remember the way the caramel tasted? How the crisp juicy apple underneath felt as your teeth bit into it?
Do you remember how as the days of Fall approached how the night air had a slight chill to it?
I can remember the way the caramel would stick to my mouth while I bit that apple. I can remember the way the leaves would crunch under my feet as I walked through the woods.
This recipe reminds me of all of those things. As the daylight shrinks away earlier and earlier each day, I find myself craving this pie.
You can use the apples of your choice. I personally prefer to use a mix of apples. I use 4 Granny Smith, and 2 Red delicious. The balance of flavors in these two with the sweetness of the caramel works perfectly.
Pie filling
6 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp caramel
Crumb topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
To make pie filling:
In a large bowl mix ingredients. Pour mix into a pie crust.
To make crumb topping:
In a small bowl combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until it is the consistency of crumbs. Top pie with crumb topping.
Cover edges of pie crust with foil. In a 375°F degree oven, bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with caramel. Serve with vanilla ice cream.