Candy Apple Pie
One of the best things about living in a new city is the anonymity. In my hometown, I can’t make it through a trip to Wal-Mart without seeing someone I know. During my last gynecological exam, my doctor called in her assistant, who happened to be (surprise!) one of my high school classmates. If you thought bumping into your former boss barefaced with bedhead was bad, try making small talk with someone bringing up all your wasted high school potential as they stare at your va-jay-jay.
Too familiar.
Familiarity is a double-edged sword. It can breed contempt or comfort, boredom or nostalgia. Especially when it comes to comfort food. I wouldn’t change a thing about my mom’s homemade chocolate pudding, but apple pie … Apple pie begs for experimentation.
Let’s review. This pie starts with a graham cracker crust topped with caramel and a cup of chopped pecans. Then you simmer your sliced apples in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until they’re tender and give the house that “OMG, what’s cooking?” smell. Once you ladle the apple filling into the crust, you’re ready to add the fluffy cream cheese layer and bake the pie. And then after it’s cooled, you’ll add even more goodness – whipped cream, more caramel and more pecans. A final swirl with a knife, and you’ve got a pie worth sharing. A pie you’ll be thinking about when you wake up in the morning. A pie perfect for the last summer cookout or the first fall tailgating party. Seriously, recruit friends. This is a big pie.
This pie makes me wish all of you lived a little closer, especially my new Adopt-A-Blogger mentor, Nicole of Art and Aioli. For the next three months, she’ll be giving me tips on how to improve this blog, including NOT writing about my vagina, I’m sure. Anyway, if you’re interested in helping a new blogger, there are still many newbies who need mentors for Adopt-A-Blogger, an annual event sponsored by Kristen of Dine and Dish. Please, sign up! Get familiar!
And ALWAYS wear lipstick to Wal-Mart.
Candy Apple Pie
From MiMi Hodge, winner of Good Morning America’s “Pie of Emeril’s Eye” Contest, 2000
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon 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 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cream Cheese Topping:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
Topping:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 10-inch pie plate and up the sides. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until golden in color. Remove pie shell from oven and cool completely. Pour caramel into pie shell and sprinkle with 1 cup of chopped pecans. Refrigerate pie shell while making apple filling.
3. In a large (12-inch) 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 to 20 minutes until apples are softened and tender. Let cool for 10 minutes and pour into pie shell. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.
4. 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 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 minutes.
5. Top with whipped cream, caramel and pecans, and swirl with a knife. Slice and serve.
