Host An Unforgettable Book Club Party

I love the combined tastes of the spicy-lemony tang and caramel-apple sweetness of this apple pie.

Inspired by The Glass Castle

Click here for book club party ideas for The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

Prep Time:  30 minutes     Cook Time:   1 hour      Serves:  8

Ingredients:

Pie:

• Pie crust pastry for 9-inch two-crust pie
• 1 teaspoon of flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups (about 3 pounds) of cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (my favorite are Jonathan, Winesap, or Rome)
• 1/4 cup butter

Topping:

• 1/3 cup caramel topping, (I use Nestle La Lechera Dulce de Leche)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Prepare pie pastry for 9-inch two-crust pie.  Roll out half of pastry and line pie plate.  Carefully trim edges.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour in the bottom of pie shell and with dry pastry brush, spread evenly over bottom.  Place pie shell in freezer while preparing filling.  Reserve other half of pastry in refrigerator.
2. In medium-size bowl, combine sugars.  Add lemon zest, juice of 1/2 lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.  Mix together well.
3. Remove pie plate from freezer.  Place half of the apples in the pie shell with the straight edge of each apple facing inward.  Sprinkle half of the sugar/spice mixture over apples.  Top with the remaining apples (straight edges facing inward) and sprinkle with remaining sugar/spice mixture.  Dot with butter.
4. Moisten edge of pie shell pastry around rim.  Remove remaining half of pie pastry from refrigerator and roll out to about a 10-inch circle and fit over top of pie, sealing edges.   Make slits on top of pie crust to vent pie while cooking.  Place strips of foil or a pie crust shield* around edge of crust to prevent over-browning.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Remove pie from oven and drizzle caramel topping over top of pie.  Cool completely before serving.

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