Candy Apple Pie
It’s such a cliche, but seriously, a slice of this pie is probably as close as you can get to a slice of heaven. Words can’t describe it… You must taste it for yourself. Maybe I should be calling it OMG Pie!
A pie that needs to be shared!! Originally from MiMi Hodge, winner of Good Morning America’s “Pie of Emeril’s Eye” Contest, 2000, via thekitchen.com.
Ingredients:
CRUST:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup chopped pecans
APPLE FILLING:
5 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, sliced very thin)
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
TOPPING:
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375F.
CRUST: In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 9.5-10″ pie plate and up the sides. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden in color. Remove pie shell from oven and cool completely. Pour caramel into pie shell and sprinkle with 1 cup chopped pecans. Refrigerate pie shell while making apple filling.
APPLE FILLING: In a large (12″) skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add apples and stir. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes until apples are softened and tender. Let cool for 10 minutes and pour into pie shell. Reduce oven to 350F.
CREAM CHEESE TOPPING: In a medium bowl, using a hand-held mixer on low speed, combine cream cheese and sugar for about 1 minute until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute or until fully blended. Pour over apple filling in pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean. Remove pie from oven and let cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Let stand outside the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
TOPPING: Top with whipped cream, caramel and pecans, and swirl with a knife. Slice and serve.
