Caramel Apple Pumpkin Pie

 

Thanksgiving is this week and I am getting really excited for all the great food my tummy will enjoy! My favorite at the Thanksgiving table is definitely my dad’s stuffing, but pumpkin pie comes in a really close second. I just love anything with pumpkin in it! If you are last minute planning and want to knock ‘em dead with a wonderful alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie, this recipe is for you.

 

I really haven’t liked apple pie much since I was a little girl. Every fall we would secure big boxes full of apples from family members who owned an apple orchard in Eastern Washington.  One particular fall I remember making apple pie after apple pie, and then for a year, eating apple pie after apple pie. We had a really big freezer  BUT, I do like caramel apples and this is one way I can have my pie and eat it too!

The pumpkin pie filling that I use is the traditional one on the Libby’s pumpkin can with a few adjustments. I have always made this recipe to great reception and have seen no need to change it – except that sometime I would really like to make my pie filling using fresh pumpkin. However, I failed to stock up on sugar pumpkins before Halloween this year and am now having a hard time finding them. But I do encourage you to use fresh if you have it. Also my delicious pie crust is from my 1970′s edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Pie Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon shortening
• 2-3 Tablespoons of cold water

Measure salt and flour into a bowl. Cut in shortening.

 

Sprinkle in ice-cold water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and mix until all of flour is moist and dough almost comes clean off the side of the bowl. Add 1 or more Tablespoons more, as needed.

 

Gather dough into ball and shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface.

 

Roll with well floured rolling pin until larger than the pie plate, then fold into quarters and gently lift into plate (make sure you use a 9″ plate for this recipe!) and unfold. Create a fluted edge by pinching the edges of the dough together in your fingers. Then it’s time to make the pumpkin filling.

 

Pumpkin Filling:

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (or 1-1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree)
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in small bowl.

 

Peel and grate fresh ginger.

 

 

Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, and sugar-spice mixture.

 

 

Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

 

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the apple pie filling and crumble topping.

Apple Filling:

• 3 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apples (must be a tart apple to offset sweetness of rest of pie)
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Put all ingredients into a saucepan except the lemon juice.

 

Heat over med-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and mixture is thickened. Stir in lemon juice.

 

Crumble Topping:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup flour

Mix brown sugar and flour together. Cut in butter with a fork until you have a nice crumbly texture.

 

Pull pumpkin pie out of the oven. (Make sure that it has firmed up enough so that the apple pie mixture tops it and doesn’t sink into the pumpkin filling.)

 

 

Top with apple pie filling and sprinkle crumble on top. Put back in oven and bake for another 20-30 minutes –  until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool.

 

While pie is cooling melt 1/2 bag of caramel candies and 1 Tablespoon of water – or more if you need to thin it some. (or make your own caramel sauce.)

 

Then use a fork to drizzle the caramel on top after pie has cooled.

Top a slice with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

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