Salted Caramel Bourbon Apple Pie
 
 
Author:
Serves: Serves 8-10
Ingredients
For the pastry:
  • 3 cups (450g) plain flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 sticks (225g) cold butter
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup (125ml) ice cold water
For the caramel:
  • ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp (30g) butter
  • ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • ½ - 1 tsp salt
For the apples:
  • 6 large or 8 small granny smith apples
  • 2 lemons
  • ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
To decorate:
  • 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
  1. First, make the pastry. Place the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Cut the butter into ½ inch (1cm) cubes, and add it to the flour. In a separate jug, stir together the water and vinegar.
  2. Work the butter into the flour, using the paddle attachment of your mixer on a low speed, until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs with a few large, visible pieces of butter still remaining.
  3. With the mixer still on low, stream in the water a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture looks like it's about to come together. Use your hands to clump the dough into two halves, and then flatten them into discs and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge to chill.
  4. To make the caramel, place the sugar and water into a small, deep saucepan over a medium heat. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves, and then continue to cook the mixture until it turns amber (about 5-7 minutes).
  5. Remove the mix from the heat, and carefully add the butter, cream, and bourbon. Be careful, it will hiss and bubble up furiously. Add ½ tsp salt, and stir back over a low heat, until the mixture comes together smoothly. Set aside to cool (taste when it's cool and add more salt if you want it).
  6. Peel and core the apples and then slice them into thin pieces. Place the apples into a large mixing bowl, with the juice of both the lemons, and 2 tbsp of the sugar. Toss together, cover with a tea towel, and leave for 20-30 minutes.
  7. Drain the liquid from the apples and discard it. Toss over the remaining filling ingredients, until everything is well combined.
  8. To assemble the pie, roll out half the pastry on a well-floured surface, until it's about ⅛ inch thick, and is easily larger than your 9 inch pie dish. Fit the pastry into the dish, trimming the overhang of pastry, so there's about 2cm (1 inch) left.
  9. Layer half the apples tightly into the dish, and then pour over half the cooled caramel. Pack in the remaining apples, mounding them in the centre, and pour over the remaining caramel.
  10. Roll out the remaining piece of pastry (you can cut it into a lattice if you want) and cover the top of the pie. Trim the edges, roll them into them up to form an edge, and crimp the edge, and brush the pie with beaten egg.
  11. Chill the pie for 20 minutes, while you pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F. Bake the pie on a lined baking sheet (it will probably bubble over) for 20-25 minutes, and then turn down the oven to 180C/350F and bake for a further 35-40 minutes or until dark golden brown and the apples are tender with tested with a knife. Leave to cool for AT LEAST 2 hours, before serving.
Recipe by The Sugar Hit at http://www.thesugarhit.com/2015/04/salted-caramel-bourbon-apple-pie.html