Caramel apple pie recipe

This sweet caramel apple pie is the perfect autumnal pud, which uses up the glorious fruit of the season. Pairing sharp cooking apples with a rich and buttery caramel sauce makes this really moreish. We love our caramel apple pie served up with a big dollop of crème fraiche to balance out the sugar in the recipe, giving it a smooth finish. If you prefer, though, you could try a generous scoop of ice cream or even a splash of cream.

Ingredients

• 375g sweet shortcrust pastry
• 1kg Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks
• 100g butter
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 125g caster sugar plus 2tbsp
• zest of ½ lemon
• 2tbsp cornflour
• 3 dessert apples, peeled, cored, quartered and finely sliced

For the caramel sauce

• 65g caster sugar
• 15g salted butter
• 2tbsp double cream
• crème fraiche, to serve

You will need

• 23cm tart case

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Roll the pastry out until it’s around 3mm thick, and line the tin, pinching the edge to create a crimped crust. Prick the pastry base with a fork and chill for 30 mins.
2. To make the filling put the Bramley apples, 4tbsp water and the butter in a pan over a low heat until the better melts. Add the cinnamon stick. Increase the heat and cook for around 30 mins, until the apples have softened. Blitz in a food processor or with a hand blended until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest and cornflour and cook on a low heat, mixing constantly, until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Remove the pastry from the fridge and line with parchment. Fill with baking beans and bake for 20mins. Remove the beans and parchment and cook for a further 10mins, or until the pastry is golden.
4. Evenly spread the apple filling over the baked pastry case. Arrange the sliced dessert apples on top, working inwards and making sure the slices overlap slightly. Return to the oven for 30mins.
5. Meanwhile, to make the caramel sauce place the sugar in a large saucepan. Over a medium heat cook until it’s a caramel colour. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, then once smooth add the cream. Brush the caramel sauce over the pie while it’s still hot and serve with crème fraiche.