Company Apple Pie
Submitted by chou
Company apple pie is a three-pie batch showstopper with a sugar crust, lemony apple filling, caramel sauce stripes, cream cheese topping, and chopped walnuts. Built to feed a crowd.
YIELD
3 piesPREP
30 minCOOK
50 minREADY
90 minCompany apple pie is the kind of dessert you pull out when the whole extended family descends for Sunday dinner or there’s a bake sale with high expectations. One recipe makes three pies, so half the crowd gets to take a pie home. Each slice layers four distinct elements: a sweetened oil-and-butter crust, a spiced lemon-apple filling, ribbons of melted caramel sauce, and piped stripes of cream cheese filling crowned with chopped walnuts.
The crust is the blue-ribbon church-cookbook style with a twist of vegetable oil alongside the butter and a little sugar for a tender, slightly sweet pastry. It holds up to all the toppings without turning soggy.
The filling is nine cups of peeled and sliced apples tossed with flour, sugar, and freshly grated lemon zest, then drizzled with lemon juice. The zest is where the citrus character lives. Meanwhile, melted caramel candies and half-and-half turn into a silky drizzling sauce in a double boiler. A cream cheese topping beats up soft with sugar and an egg. The pies assemble with caramel strips, cream cheese between, and chopped walnuts scattered over all.
Pro Tips
- Use a double boiler for the caramel, not a direct saucepan. Caramels scorch the second they touch a hot pan bottom.
- Toss the apple slices thoroughly with the flour-sugar-zest mix so every slice gets coated. Uncoated apples leak juice and make a runny pie.
- Pipe or spoon the cream cheese topping in parallel stripes so the caramel and cream cheese alternate neatly. Gorgeous on the slice.
- Bake all three pies at 375°F (190°C) on the middle rack until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are deep golden, about 50 minutes. Rotate halfway for even browning.
Variations
- Pecan swap: Substitute pecans for walnuts for a deeper, sweeter nut note.
- Apple mix: Use two parts tart (Granny Smith or Braeburn) to one part sweet (Honeycrisp or Fuji) for the most complex flavor.
- Salted caramel lean: Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the caramel stripes before adding the cream cheese for a salted-caramel twist.
Ingredients
Directions
In top of double boiler, place caramels and half and half; melt caramels over boiling water, stirring often until smooth.
For crust, stir together 3 cups flour, salt and ¼ cup sugar; cut in butter.
Combine oil, cold water and egg; stir into flour mixture, stirring to form dough.
Divide dough into thirds; roll out and place each in a pie pan.
Filling: divide apples among pie pans.
Stir together 1 cup flour, 2 cups sugar and lemon rind; sprinkle over apples.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Topping: beat cream cheese, ⅓ cup sugar and egg in mixing bowl.
Spoon caramel sauce over pie in strips.
Place cream cheese topping between caramel strips.
Sprinkle chopped nuts over all.
Bake 3 pies until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
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