Description
This Caramel Apple Slab Pie is a delightful dessert featuring a flaky homemade crust loaded with a generous filling of tart Granny Smith apples spiced with cinnamon and sugar, topped with a crunchy oat crumb topping and finished with a rich, homemade caramel drizzle. Perfect for large gatherings or potlucks, this slab pie combines textures and flavors that capture the essence of autumn in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Dough
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shortening, butter-flavored
- 12 tablespoons cold water
Apple Filling
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 10 cups)
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter
Homemade Caramel
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter-flavored shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add 4 tablespoons of the cold water, stirring with a fork, then continue adding remaining water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is moistened. Form the dough into a ball with your hands.
- Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a 19×13 inch rectangle. Wrap dough around your rolling pin and carefully unroll it into the prepared pan, pressing gently to fit and pressing the dough up the sides without stretching. Trim the excess dough to 1/2 inch beyond pan edges, then fold and flute the edges as desired. Chill the crust in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
- Prepare Apple Filling: In a very large bowl, toss sugar, flour, cinnamon, and sliced apples together until apples are thoroughly coated. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the chilled crust.
- Make Crumb Topping: In another large bowl, combine rolled oats, packed brown sugar, and flour. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake the Pie: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. If the topping or edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Homemade Caramel: While the pie bakes or cools, combine brown sugar, butter, half-and-half, vanilla, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Whisk constantly for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Drizzle warm caramel over the cooled pie before serving, or let caramel cool and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
- Keep the dough cold to ensure a flaky crust.
- If apples release excess juice, drain some to prevent soggy crust.
- The crumble topping can be substituted with chopped nuts for added crunch.
- Use Granny Smith apples for tartness; sweet apples can be mixed in if desired.
- Store any leftover caramel in an airtight container in the refrigerator and warm gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/24th of pie)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
