Deep Dish Dulce de Leche Apple Pie

This year for the Relief Society Broadcast the Stake provided pie afterwards and, to my surprise, the pie they served was actually wonderfully delicious! It was the apple pie with a kind of caramel matrix/sauce with it and even though it must have been commercially made to feed so many I loved it and it has left me with a hankering to try making something like that myself. I found this recipe in a round about internet way, and when we had dinner with our friends the Perrys this weekend they requested it off of my extensive pie list. And while the pie was delicious, there is no doubt about that, I found the caramel a little lacking and thus am still on the perfect caramel apple pie recipe hunt. Should you know of one, find me the recipe so I can try it. If you don't have one, starting here will never disappoint but only make your mouth very happy.

P.S. I used Granny Smith and Fuji apples for my pie, and it was very sweet and I almost think I should have used straight Granny Smith so there would be more tart contrast of the apples against the sweetness of the caramel.

P.P.S. See below link for how to make the homemade dulce de leche.

From Recipe Girl:

http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/10/04/deep-dish-dulce-de-leche-apple-pie/

Ingredients:

1/2 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1/3 C. cornstarch (I used flour)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1 T.)
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt (I also added a pinch of cloves)

7 to 8 cups of peeled, sliced apples
1/2 C. dulce de leche (canned or homemade)
2 T. apple cider (I used cranberry juice)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Double crust for 9-inch pie
Egg white mixed with 1 teaspoon of water
Coarse sugar for top, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. In a small bowl, mix sugars, cornstarch, spices and salt.

3. In a large bowl, toss together apples, dulce de leche, apple cider and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients and toss to combine.

4. Roll out pie dough as large as possible keeping it a good thickness. Line deep dish pie pan with crust and let it hang over the sides. Brush with egg white mixture. Add filling and spread out evenly.

5. Roll out second crust and place on top of pie. Crimp edges together in a decorative fashion to seal. Brush with egg white mixture. Cut a few holes in the top crust for venting. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 375F and bake for another 30 minutes.

7. Remove pie from oven and cool on rack for several hours to allow filling to set.

Hello Dolly Bars

My sister TMP made these for our little graduation shindig at home last Saturday. My in-laws loved these and as my husband is, you know, an in-law he loved them too and insisted that we get the recipe. So here it is, dear Robber, for you.

From somewhere, didn't ask TMP where she got them.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. (1 stick) salted butter, melted

1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs (ca. 1 1/2 packages)

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 C. chocolate chips (replace 1 c. with butterscotch or other chips, if desired)

1 1/2 C. chopped pecans, lightly toasted

1 1/2 C. sweetened shredded coconut

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon with the butter and press into the bottom of the pan. 

2. Layer the chips, nuts, and coconut on top of the crust. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the lot. 

3. Bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes, until nicely browned and a bit bubbly. Cool completely before cutting.

Yield: This quantity will make an 8"x8" pan of thick bars or a 9"x13" pan of thinner bars.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

This recipe came to me from our friend KK who posted it on my Facebook wall. The story behind the recipe is actually quite sad... this is the favorite pie of a food blogger's young husband who passed unexpectedly about a year ago. As a tribute to her husband the blogger asked others to make this pie for him on a certain day. I missed the day, but pulled out the recipe to use some cream cheese we had that needed using before our big trip to Thailand. Peanut butter pie is not the Robber's favorite, but I personally always enjoy it and was excited for this one. The chocolate/peanuts part at the bottom of the pie is wonderful and the flavor of the filling was perfect, in my opinion-- very peanut buttery and not too sweet.

Notes: The crust definitely needs a different cookie/butter ratio, or some melted chocolate in it to act as a binder. Much too crumbly. Also I omitted the cup of powdered sugar simply because I didn't have any and I was glad as the pie was plenty sweet without it. I whipped some additional cream to go on top, but it doesn't really need it as it would just dilute the wonderful peanut butter flavor of the filling. I didn't have a 9" springform pan and most of my problems with the pie came from this fact. It's amazing how much of cooking is just having the right equipment.

From In Jennie's Kitchen:

http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html

Ingredients:

8 oz. chocolate cookies

4 T. butter, melted

4 oz. chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 C. chopped peanuts

8 oz. cream cheese

1 C. creamy-style peanut butter

1 C. confectioner's sugar (can be omitted)

1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 C. heavy cream

Directions:

1. Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.  Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. 

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula.  Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

3. Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  

4. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl.  Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

5. Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream).  Fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan.  Drizzle additional melted chocolate on top (optional) and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

Caramel for Apples 2

This is the second recipe the Robber and I tried and the flavor, as promised on Epicurious, is fantastic but unfortunately I overcooked our half batch (not having a thermometer) or something and it came out hard as a rock. :( Will have to try again on another day.

From Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Caramel-Dipped-Apples-102427

Ingredients:

1 lbs. dark brown sugar (about 2.25 C.)

16 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 C. dark corn syrup (used light)

1/3 C. pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. robust-flavored (dark) molasses (used light)

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 15 minutes.

2. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula and occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes.

3. Pour caramel into metal bowl (do not scrape pan). Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel; cool, without stirring, to 200°F, about 20 minutes.

Caramel for Apples

The Robber loves caramel apples and wanted to make some caramel to dip apple slices in and so I scoured around on the internet and found two recipes: one that I knew would work and one that I thought would actually be interesting. This is the one that the Robber made... and it worked. We made a half batch, which was plenty for us, and it is plenty delicious and perfect for its task although nothing exceptional. Problem is, my supposedly exception caramel is rock hard and this one is the perfect consistency for just about anything. Which, perhaps, makes it exceptional.

From Real Mom Kitchen, by way of Annie of course:

http://annies-eats.net/2009/11/25/caramel-apples/

Ingredients:

8 T. unsalted butter

2 C. packed brown sugar

1 C. light corn syrup

Pinch of salt

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional:

10-12 small Granny Smith apples, stems removed

Popsicle or lollipop sticks

Directions:

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Mix in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Stir in the condensed milk. Cook and stir until a candy or instant-read thermometer reads 248° F (firm ball stage.) Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

To make candy apples: 2. Insert a lollipop or popsicle stick into the top of each apple so that it is firmly in place. Dip the apples one at a time into the caramel mixture, turning slowly to coat evenly. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with wax paper and allow the caramel to set. Decorate as desired, with melted chocolate, chopped nuts, or candy pieces.

Caribbean Dream Pie

From The New Moosewood. Seriously better than I thought it was going to be, and ridiculously easy to make. It would be hard to mess this pie up.

SWEET CRUMB CRUST:

2 cups crushed graham crackers or ginger snaps (easily done in a food processor)
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional, If you prefer you can substitute another 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers of ginger snaps)
1/4 cup finely minced pecans
6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1) Preheat over to 350F.
2) Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan, building a handsome 1/2-inch ridge around the edge. You will have more than enough to fill the pie pan-- sprinkle the rest in another pan. Place both in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

FILLING:

1 14-15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp. grated lime rind
1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1/2 a ripe mango, peeled and sliced (or chopped)

1) Pour the milk into a medium-sized bowl.

2) Add the grated rind and juice, and whisk for a few minutes until the milk thickens.

3) Layer the banana and mango slices in the baked, cooled crust. Pout the thickened milk mixture over the fruit, spreading it into place. Sprinkle the top with extra crumb mixture, and chill until cold. Serve cold.

Skeptical of the filling, I added one more bananas (three large bananas total) and tripled the mango (1 1/2 mangoes total). I also increased the lime zest, but not the lime juice or the milk. I found this to be just fine. I also topped the pie generously with lightly sweetened whipped cream and then sprinkled the extra crust crumbs on the top of the whipped cream, not the pie itself. The overall was wonderfully creamy and fruity and perfect for the lovely early summer evening. This pie should be served in California often.