This pie. This pie almost convinced me to quit the Pie A Week challenge right then and there, because I knew it would all be downhill from then on out. The apples maintain their own distinct flavor, but the caramel creeps in on the edges, and the streusel! All streusel wants to taste like this streusel.

We tried this pie at a variety of temperatures (all in the name of science), and I decided that I like it best at room temperature. A dollop of fresh whipped cream on top doesn’t hurt either.

When I first talked about baking a pie once a week, I made sure to emphasize that I would be giving most of the pie away. Ha!

Caramel Apple Streusel Pie (made 9/19/2015)

Piecrust: (Alternatively, if you have no regard for anything holy, you may use a premade piecrust and skip to the pre-baking step.)
1 c. flour
pinch of kosher salt
1/3 c. shortening
ice water

Caramel Sauce:
½ c. (1 stick) butter
½ c. sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ heavy whipping cream

Apple Filling:
9 medium apples (I used Jonathans, because I like their quintessential apple-y flavor)
¼ c. lemon juice
½ tsp. cinnamon

Streusel topping: (modified from the streusel in Bon Appetit’s Sour-Cherry Streusel pie here)
1 ½ c. flour
½ c. + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
¼ tsp. kosher salt
½ c. butter, melted
½ tsp. vanilla

1. Assemble the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the salt and flour together in a small mixing bowl. Add the shortening and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until you have a bowl of pea-sized crumbles. Add ¼ cup of ice-cold water (not the ice cubes) to the mixture. Mix with pastry blender or fingers until the mixture holds together in one ball, adding additional ice water a tablespoon at a time as needed, but being careful not to add too much water. Avoid adding too much water, which will make the pie dough sticky; if this happens, add a little more flour.

Roll to 1/4” thick and fit into an ungreased standard or extra deep (I prefer the latter) pie pan. Trim the edges so that there is a 1-inch overhang all around the pie pan. Fold the selvedge under and crimp with fingers or a fork all around the rim. Prick crust with a fork and bake for 8-10 minutes, using pie weights [which I don’t have, unless someone buys me some for Christmas—I use a smaller pie pan placed on top of a layer of parchment paper set inside the unbaked piecrust]. Set aside. Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees.

2. Make caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, molasses, and salt. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Continuing to stir, allow to boil for one more minute. Add whipping cream and return to a boil, stirring constantly and allowing to boil for 2-3 minutes further. Pour into the partially baked piecrust.

3. Prepare filling: Keeping the apple skins on, slice apples ¼” thick. (I used my mandolin for this, and it worked well.) Toss apple slices with lemon juice and cinnamon. Layer in piecrust on top of caramel sauce.

4. Prepare streusel topping: The way you’re supposed to assemble this is by first mixing all the dry ingredients, then rubbing the wet ingredients in with your fingers to achieve an overall crumbly texture. The truth is that I threw everything together in a bowl, mixed it thoroughly with my pastry blender, and then more or less played with it with my fingers until it was crumbly. Local sources (a.k.a. the husband and me) say it tastes just as good this way. Carefully pour [–pile, balance–] on top of the apple layer. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the caramel begins to bubble slightly and the streusel is browned. Allow to fully cool before cutting to allow the caramel sauce to set up.

a pie to write home about