Caramel Rose Apple Pie

Want to learn how to make an apple pie? Why not turn up the creativity a bit and make it a caramel rose apple pie! :) It is easy to do, if I can do it, you can do it, let's get baking!

If you have any questions or comments leave them down below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Follow the steps below or watch the video tutorial or do both! :)

Step 1: Ingredients/Tools

Caramel Rose Apple Pie — *Image via instructables.com*

Ingredients:

Water (about 2 cups)
1 lemon
4 large apples (I like to use Granny Smith, a good tart apple works great)
peeled and sliced thin
1/2 cup brown sugar (100g)
1/2 cup white granulated sugar (105g)
1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (3g)
1/2 tsp. of nutmeg (3g)
1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)
1/4 cup of heavy cream for caramel (60ml)

Tools:

Apple corer (optional)
peeler
knife
mandolin slicer (optional)
manual juicer (optional)
bowls
9-inch cake pan or cast iron skillet
Aluminum foil
sauce pot

Step 2: Lemon and Water

First let's squeeze out the lemon juice from our lemon and put it in with the water. I am using a manual juicer but you can use your hands too to squeeze the lemons. Just make sure to keep the seeds out of the water. :)

Step 3: Peel and Soak

Now let's peel those apples. I am using Granny Smith apples, but any tart apple will work. Use your favorite traditional apple pie apple, or experiment with other apples. Place the peeled apples in the lemon water. The lemon water will prevent the apples from turning brown.

Step 4: To Slice or Not to Slice

Now we need to slice up those apples. Here are a couple of methods I use. Use your knife and cut around the core, if you used a corer, skip that step. Then cut your apples thinly, no more then like 1/8th of an inch thick. If they are too thick they will have a hard time bending, but don't worry about it too much. really thin ones are good for creating the center rose. Another method is to use a mandolin slicer. If you don't core the apples first after wards you can dig out the core with a melon baller, but that takes more time do it that way. Mandolins are great for keeping every slice about the same thickness. Then place the slices of apple back in the lemon water until you are done with all the slices.

Step 5: Sugar and Spice Makes Everything Nice :)

Now in a medium bowl add your brown sugar, white granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg, then use a fork or whisk and mix them all together. If you don't have brown sugar, use all white sugar.

Step 6: Drain and Mix

Next let's drain our apples. Then pour the sugar mixture on top of the apples and with nice clean hands mix the apples in with the sugar until they are all coated. Let the apples sit for 30 minutes. This will allow a nice liquid to form on the bottom which will be the base for our caramel. :)

Step 7: Prep the Pie Crust

Now let's add our pie crust to a 9-inch cake pan or use a cast iron skillet. It's hard to use a normal pie pan for this because the walls are sloped too much. Then poke holes in the bottom of the crust with your fork. I am using a store bought pie crust for this but you can use a homemade crust. I already have a video that shows you how to make a homemade apple pie and pie crust from scratch, which you can find here:

Homemade Apple Pie With Crust from Scratch

After you are done with the holes, place the pie pan and crust in the fridge to chill, while we wait for our apples.

Step 8: Squeeze Them Apples!

After our apples have sat for 30 minutes let's grab a handful of them and squeeze the life, I mean juice out of them. Then place them in a separate bowl, leaving you with one bowl of awesome yummy sugary apple flavor liquid, and one bowl with fairly dry flimsy apples slices.

Step 9: Place Those Slices

Now let's place the apple slices in our pan, starting at the far outside of the pie and working towards the middle. Make sure to overlap the slices a little bit. Then roll up one or two apples slices and form the rose center piece. If you want to get extra creative leave the peel on the green apples and then use a red apple for the center....ooh that would be amazing. :)

Step 10: Fold, Cover, Bake

Now let's fold over the edges of our crust. It isn't necessary but I like to do it. Next cover the pie with some foil and bake the pie in a preheated oven at 375 F (190 C) for 30 minutes. Then take the foil off and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the pie is golden brown on the edges of the crust and the apples slices will be slightly brown on the tops as well. Hurray we are done with the pie! Now let's make our caramel sauce.

Step 11: Pour, Boil, Reduce, Cream

At our stovetop with the burner at medium heat let's add our juice to a sauce pot. Let the mixture come to a boil and let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes until it reduces by about half. Then add in your heavy cream. Stir it well, then turn off the heat and let the caramel cool. It will be too runny right now, but will thicken as it cools.

Step 12: A La Mode? Yes Please!

Now take your caramel sauce and pour it over the top of your pie. You will only wind up using about 1/4th of it and can save the rest for toppings. Serve a slice with some ice cream and drizzle some caramel sauce on top. There go a creative way to make an apple pie. Enjoy! :)