Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Ingredients

Pie dough
4 cups flour
2 tbs. sugar
½ tbs. salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Apple-pie filling
¼ cup cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
1½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. sea salt
8 apples, peeled, cored, sliced (preferably Honeycrisp)
1/3 stick unsalted butter
¼ cup bourbon
1 cup apple cider

Salted caramel sauce
2 cup sugar
22/3 cups heavy cream
4 tbs. light corn syrup
½ cup dark-brown sugar
2 tsp. fleur de sel

Instructions

Pie dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, and salt on medium-low speed (about 30 seconds). Increase speed to medium and stream in 2/3 cup cold water, followed by cold butter cubes. Continue mixing on medium speed (about 2 minutes). Stop mixing just before the butter is fully incorporated (the dough will look streaky and the pieces of butter should be about the size of peas). Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 2 balls. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.

Apple-pie filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Add apple slices and toss until apples are evenly coated. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples into melted hot butter. Pour in bourbon and apple cider. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature.

Salted caramel sauce: In medium pot, bring all ingredients to a boil, gently stirring occasionally. Once the mixture has reached 230 degrees (it will get noticeably thicker), remove from the heat and pour into a nonplastic container (e.g., a Pyrex or metal mixing bowl). Let cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, whisk well, then chill in the fridge until needed (the caramel sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead; you can also drizzle it over ice cream or add to your coffee). An hour before you’re ready to assemble the pie, remove the sauce from the fridge and bring to room temperature.

Assembly: Preheat the oven to 350. On a floured surface, roll out 1 ball of dough into a 12-inch round, then transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently down and up the sides. Pour cooled apples into the pie shell. Drizzle some of the salted caramel sauce across the apples. Roll out the other ball of dough. Cut into strips that are 1-by-12-inches long. Arrange half of your dough strips across pie. Form a lattice by arranging the other half of the strips diagonally across the first strips. Seal the edges by pressing around the rim of the pie with a fork. Trim around the edges as needed. Brush the surface of the pie with egg wash. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Let cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then drizzle more of the salted caramel sauce on top and serve.