Kraft Caramel Apple Pie Food

EASY FREE-FORM CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Microwave caramels and milk in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Cool 5 min.
• Meanwhile, unroll pie crust on parchment-covered baking sheet; roll into 12-inch round.
• Spread cream cheese onto pie crust to within 2 inches of edge; drizzle with 1/2 the caramel sauce. Arrange apple slices over crust, overlapping as needed to form even layer. Dot with butter; drizzle with remaining caramel sauce. Fold edge of pastry over apples, leaving center uncovered. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cool completely.

THE ULTIMATE CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the chunks of cold butter with a pastry blender, a little at a time, until the dough resembles cornmeal. Add the egg yolk and the ice water, and blend for a second just to pull the dough together and moisten. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.
• To make the caramel sauce: place the sugar and water in a small pot and cook, without stirring, over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the burner and add the cream and wine slowly. It may bubble and spit, so be careful. When the sauce has calmed down, return it to the flame, add the vanilla bean and heat it slowly, until the wine and caramel are smooth and continue to slowly cook until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and cool until thickened.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the lemon juice. Peel the apples with a paring knife, cut them in half, and remove the core with a melon baller. Put the apple halves in the lemon-water (this will keep them from going brown). Toss the apples with the flour and cinnamon.
• Take the dough out of the refrigerator, unwrap the plastic, and cut the ball in half. Rewrap and return 1 of the balls to the refrigerator, until ready for the top crust. Let the dough rest on the counter for 15 minutes so it will be pliable enough to roll out. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it inside a 10-inch glass pie pan. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice a couple of the apples at a time using a mandolin or a very sharp knife. The apples need to be thinly sliced so that as the pie bakes, they collapse on top of each other with no air pockets. This makes a dense, meaty apple pie. Cover the bottom of the pastry with a layer of apples, shingling the slices so there are no gaps. Ladle about 2 ounces of the cooled red wine caramel sauce evenly over the apple slices. Repeat the layers, until the pie is slightly overfilled and domed on the top; the apples will shrink down as the pie cooks. Top the apples with pieces of the butter.
• Now, roll out the other ball of dough just as you did the first. Brush the bottom lip of the pie pastry with a little beaten egg white to form a seal. Place the pastry circle on top of the pie, and using some kitchen scissors, trim off the overhanging excess from around the pie. Crimp the edges of dough together with your fingers to make a tight seal. Cut slits in the top of the pie so steam can escape while baking. Place the pie on a sheet tray and tent it with a piece of aluminum foil, so the crust does not cook faster than the apples.
• Bake the caramel apple pie for 25 minutes on the middle rack. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the freshly grated cinnamon. Remove the foil from the pie and brush the top with the remaining egg white. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar and return to the oven. Continue to bake for another 25 minutes, until the pie is golden and bubbling. Let the apple pie rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour to allow the fruit pectin to gel and set; otherwise the pie will fall apart when you cut into it.

CARAMEL CRUNCH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Prepare crust in 9-inch pie plate as directed on package for one-crust filled pie.
• Microwave caramels and water in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 min. or until caramels are melted, stirring every minute. Arrange apples in crust; top with caramel sauce.
• Mix flour, sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts; sprinkle over apples.
• Bake 40 to 45 min. or until apples are tender.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE POCKETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Slice each of the rolled pie crusts into quarters. You'll end up with 12 triangles, slightly rounded on one end. Set the pieces aside and make the filling.
• Add the flour and spices to the diced apples and mix to thoroughly combine, being sure all the apple pieces are coated.
• Mix the egg and water to create the egg wash.
• Take one dough triangle and brush the entire surface, lightly, with the egg watch.
• Add 2 - 3 Tablespoons of the apple filling to one side of the triangle.
• Sprinkle about 1 Tablespoon of the Kraft Caramel Bits over the apple filling.
• Fold the empty half of the dough over the filled side and seal all the edges by pressing them together with your fingers.
• Cut two or three decorative slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape.
• Brush the top of the pie pocket with a light coating of egg wash. Sprinkle with a little extra granulated sugar, if desired. I like the extra crispness and "shine" the sugar crystals create.
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet and repeat the steps with all the remaining pie crust triangles.
• Bake the pie pockets for 15 - 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Watch carefully in the last few minutes to prevent burning. You want them to be a beautiful golden brown, which was achieved in my oven after 17 minutes.
• Remove the pies from the oven and cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving them.
• We actually loved them cold from the fridge, as well as warm.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the perfect spiced pie crust: Mix the flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the butter and vegetable shortening. Work the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. Add the white vinegar, egg and 5 tablespoons cold water and stir until just combined.
• Form 2 equal-sized balls. Place each in a large plastic bag (do not seal) and slightly flatten with a rolling pin; this makes it much easier to roll out the crust later. After flattening, seal the bag tightly. Place in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to chill.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove 1 bag of dough from the freezer (save the other dough for another use), remove the dough from the bag and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough starting at the center and working outward. Be gentle and patient; it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out. If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below while rolling, use a metal spatula to loosen it. When fully rolled out, loosen again with a spatula and lift the pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan (or you can roll the pastry over the rolling pin, lift it onto the pie pan and unroll it). Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan and tear off any excess dough. Then tuck under the edges and go around the pie pan pinching the dough to crimp the edge.
• For the pie filling: In a bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, flour and salt. Set aside.
• For the crumb topping: Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, then add in the brown sugar, oats and salt.
• Add the apples to the prepared pie shell and top with the crumb topping. Bake for 1 hour, covering the edge of the crust with foil if it starts to brown too quickly. After an hour, sprinkle the chopped pecans over the pie, then bake for a further 5 minutes.
• Remove the pie from the oven and pour 1/2 jar (or more, if you're feeling dangerous and naughty) of caramel topping over the top. Allow to cool slightly before serving - or don't if you can't wait!

CARAMEL-APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon. Add the apples and toss to coat. Transfer to unbaked pie shell.
• Combine 2 tablespoons of the caramel-apple dip and the milk; drizzle over the apple filling.
• In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour with brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling. Cover edge of pie with foil to prevent overbrowning. Place on a baking sheet.
• Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until golden. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining caramel dip over top. Cool pie on a wire rack, then serve.

CARAMEL CRUNCH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the apples, and 2 Tbsp flour, tossing to coat the apples; spoon into the thawed (unbaked) pie shell.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the caramels and water over medium heat, stirring until the caramels melt, and the mixture is smooth.
• Spoon the caramel mixture evenly over the apples in the pie crust.
• In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2/3 cup flour, the sugar, cinnamon and butter, stirring until crumbly.
• Add in the walnuts; mix well.
• Sprinkle over the pie and place the pie plate on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the apples are tender.
• Serve warm, or allow to cool completely before serving.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE WITH CRUNCHY CRUMB TOPPING

Steps:

• Combine flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; spread into an ungreased 8-in. square baking pan.
• Bake at 400 F for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool; crumble and set aside. Sprinkle apples with lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon; toss with apples.
• Place apples in pie shell.
• Cut a circle of foil to cover apples but not the edge of pastry; place over pie. Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 375 F; bake for 35 minutes or until apples are tender.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk , stirring frequently.
• Remove foil from pie. Pour caramel mixture over apples.
• Sprinkle with topping; return to the oven for 5 minutes.
• Serve warm.