Fall Caramel Apple Pie

After such a long break – we’re back with another recipe! And for the first time – it’s a pie! It’s fall. Fall = fall baking. And fall baking = pumpkin pie + apple pie. Let me also tell you, your kitchen is going to smell a m a z i n g after whipping up this caramel apple pie recipe I have for you today. It comes with all the traditional pie spices like cinnamon, all spice, etc. However, the secret ingrediant is actually ~ cardamom. This is an ingrediant all south asians swear by in their tea – which brings out the most aromatic scent and flavor. So if that’s the case , why not add it to a pie ? I had the chance to test this theory out, and to my relief, it hit just the right notes in accentuating that fall spice flavor! Here’s how you can make your very own batch of this sweet & delicious fall pie:

Ingrediants:

• For the pie crust: 1) Pillsbury pie crust (I know ~ this is technically cheating but who doesn’t love a shortcut plus these pie crusts work just perfect) 2) 1 egg
• For the filling: 1) 6 granny smith apples 2) 1 tsp cinnamon 3) 1 tsp allspice 4) 1 tsp ground cardamom 4) 2 tbsp cornstarch 5) 3/4 cup PC brand caramel sauce (or you can make your own) 6) pinch of salt 7) 1 cup brown sugar 8) 1 tbsp lemon juice 9) 1 tbsp butter

Instructions:

1. Start off by rolling out the pie base into your pie tin. Allow it to cool in the refrigerator while you make your pie filling.
2. Slice your apples into thin pieces. Add in the lemon juice – this is going to prevent the apples from browning. Combine with brown sugar, cinnamon, all spice, & cardamom. Add in the caramel sauce and toss until well coated. Finally, repeat with the corn starch and mix until well coated. Set your filling aside.
3. Take your pie tin out of the refrigerator and coat the base of the pie with a about a teaspoon or two with cornstarch. This is going to help keep that crisp on the bottom of your pie and keep it from going soggy once we add the filling. Once coated, add your pie filling. *tip: the key here is I actually strained my apple filling BEFORE adding it to my pie. This is because overtime, your apples are going to release quite a bit of juice. This is going to a result in a soggy pie once baked. So to prevent that, let your apples sit for a bit and actually strain some of the juice before adding it to the pie base.
4. Right before topping your pie, add a few dallops of butter to the top of your pie filling. This is going to help create that creamy center we’re going for.
5. Once your pie filling has been added – this part is completely upto your creativity on how you’d like to top your pie! I decided to go with a classic lattice ~ but you can also cut out fall shapes , or just cover the pie whole and go for a classic star vent design.
6. Once you’ve topped your pie, coat the top with an eggwash. I found using egg whites worked best (1 egg) for giving that perfect golden brown color.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. Bake for about 40-55 min till a nice golden brown color. *Tip ~ if you notice your crust browning too fast – cover the top with tin foil. This should prevent any further burning.
8. Serve warm and of course topped with caramel & icecream!