Baking Banquet: CARAMEL APPLE PIE - NEW IMPROVED VERSION

This is hands down, the best apple pie I have ever made. The Thick Gel (modified cornstarch is the best pie thickener and sauce thickener I have ever used.

Ingredients for pie filling:

8 medium apples, peeled and sliced

A splash lemon juice

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ teaspoon apple pie spice

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons thick gel or corn starch Where to buy Thick Gel?

¼ cup pecan chips, optional

2 pie crust shells (Pillsbury)

1 recipe caramel sauce*

Ingredients for Caramel Sauce*:

3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup THICK GEL

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, add a splash of lemon juice. Wash, peel and slice the apples. Stir apples in bowl after each apple is sliced. Add the cinnamon, apple pie spice, sugar and thick gel (or corn starch) and mix well. Roll out bottom crust in a pie dish. Fork around the bottom and edges.

*Directions to Make Caramel Sauce:

In a medium sauce pan, add all the Caramel Sauce ingredients. Cook on low heat until ingredients are dissolved. Turn up to medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes (you are making caramel candy). Do not let cool.

Immediately pour ¼ of the hot caramel sauce in the apples and mix in. Then, quickly pour apple and caramel mixture into prepared pie dish. Pour the remaining hot caramel sauce over the apples. Place the top pie crust over the pie and crimp the edges to seal the pie. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes in the preheated oven on 400 degrees F. Check after 15 minutes…depending on your oven, turn down to 375 degrees F if the crust looks like it is getting too brown, too soon. Let cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream.