Dulce De Leche Apple Pie

Fruit pies can often be hard to cut and know what is going to happen when you pull out the first piece.

Is the filling going to ooze out? Is the piece going to come out without falling apart?

I have found that when you cook the apples before baking, you will have a fool-proof piece of pie that comes out looking perfectly.

And then with the addition of the the dulce de leche? Get outta here. The best apple pie I have ever eaten.

Ingredients

• 2 unbaked pie crusts for a 9-inch pie
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 pounds (12 cups approximately) granny smith apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dulce de leche + more for serving
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon coarse sugar
• whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1. In a 9-inch pie plate, place one unbaked pie crust in the bottom. Trim the dough to an even 1/2 inch all of the way around the pie plate, leaving the overhang. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When foaming, stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Gently stir in the apples. Cover and cook until the apples begin to soften and liquid comes to a boil.
3. Stir in the flour. Continue cooking until the apples are almost tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not let the apples break apart.
4. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Using a slotted spoon, transfer filling to the pie shell, mounding apples in the center. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the apples. Heat 1/4 cup of the dulce de leche in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until pourable, then drizzle it over the apples.
5. Cover the top of the apples with the top pie shell, turn under the edges, and crimp closed. Brush the top crust lightly and evenly with the cream and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Cut six 2-inch slits into the top crusts to release steam.
6. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF and continue baking until the crust is deep golden brown and juices bubble through the steam vents, about 45 minutes more. Shield the edges of the crust with foil if it browns too quickly.
7. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack to set the filling before cutting.
8. Serve at room temperature or warm. Reheat the pie at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, if you would like to serve the pie warm. Top with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and warm dulce de leche.
9. Cover leftover pie and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Dulce de Leche Apple Pie

In a 9-inch pie plate, place one unbaked pie crust in the bottom. Trim the dough to an even 1/2 inch all of the way around the pie plate, leaving the overhang. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When foaming, stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Gently stir in the apples. Cover and cook until the apples begin to soften and liquid comes to a boil.

Stir in the flour. Continue cooking until the apples are almost tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not let the apples break apart.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer filling to the pie shell, mounding apples in the center. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the apples. Heat 1/4 cup of the dulce de leche in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until pourable, then drizzle it over the apples.

Cover the top of the apples with the top pie shell, turn under the edges, and crimp closed. Brush the top crust lightly and evenly with the cream and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Cut six 2-inch slits into the top crusts to release steam.

Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF and continue baking until the crust is deep golden brown and juices bubble through the steam vents, about 45 minutes more. Shield the edges of the crust with foil if it browns too quickly.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack to set the filling before cutting.

Serve at room temperature or warm. Reheat the pie at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, if you would like to serve the pie warm. Top with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and warm dulce de leche.

Cover leftover pie and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.