Caramel Apple Pie
It seems that Pinterest has been exploding with pins about making caramel in a crock pot using sweetened condensed milk, to which I say, really? Y'all didn't know you could do that?
Oh.
Sorry. I would have told you if I had realized it was a secret.
I've known for a while and even know of a few recipes that call for ye old sweetened condensed milk in a crock pot trick. This one, for Caramel Apple Pie, came to me via my mother-in-law, who has been making it for years.
It's ridiculously easy, especially because there are only a couple of ingredients.
You start with a can of sweetened condensed milk. Peel the label off of the can, and then submerge it completely under water in a crock pot. Turn that crock pot on low and wait eight hours. Once it has cooled a bit, if you open the can, you'll find a caramel that is reminiscent of dulce de leche.
I swear to you that it works. I've seen other instructions online for cooking it at high for less time or even on a stove top, but I prefer the 8-hour method since that is pretty much "overnight." I like having stuff ready for me when I wake up.
Next you'll need a graham cracker crust, which you could buy pre-made, or you could throw some crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar into a pie pan. Both ways work just fine.
Then grab some apples.
Core the apples and then slice them really thinly. Place them in your graham cracker crust.
There's no need for neatness. I'm just a bit of a freak about stuff like that. Oh, and if I had remembered, I would have poured a little bit of the caramel in after each layer of apples, but oh well.
I managed to get my caramel on there just fine. Just all at once. Heh.
Once the caramel is on there, top it with some crushed nuts.
Look at me avoiding the obvious nutty jokes!
That's it. That's how you make a Caramel Apple Pie. I mean, you need to put it in the fridge for a bit to let the caramel solidify a bit, but still. That's it.
Could it get any easier? I think not.
Caramel Apple Pie
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 graham cracker pie crust
3 small apples (I like Granny Smith), sliced thinly
1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts (I used the ones that are in the ice cream topping aisle)
1. Remove the label from the sweetened condensed milk. Submerge it in water in a crock pot, put the lid on the crock pot, and allow it to cook on low for eight hours.
2. Allow the cooked sweetened condensed milk to cool a bit. Remember physics class? You know how we all learned that things expand when they're hot? Yeah. That includes sweetened condenses milk. Don't get impatient with opening that can. I like to wait an hour.
3. Core and slice three small apples.
4. Layer the apple slices in your graham cracker crust.
5. Pour the caramel over top and smooth it with a spatula, working the caramel into the lower layers. (You can also alternate adding apple slices and caramel as you build the pie. Really, either way works fine.)
6. Sprinkle nut topping over the top.
7. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
The crisp apples, sweet caramel, and salty nuts all come together perfectly in this pie. Trust me. It's good.
Recipe
Reader Comments (16)
I did NOT know about the condensed milk in the Crock Pot trick. That's way cool.
Well crap, I don't even need to bake this pie. I'm not even gonna make it to the weekend before making this.
I did not know of this crock pot method, just stove top, with the 'risk' of a can explosion. Does the crock pot lower the can explosion risk? I assume you keep the crock pot lid on?
@Nicole--I don't know if it lowers the risk or not, but I've made it dozens and dozens of times and never had a problem. I *have* had a problem when I opened the can too soon after cooking (think Pillsbury dough can *pop* and sudden expanse--that's what it was like), but I figure that was my own fault. I should have realized that opening it immediately after taking it out of the water was a bad idea.
Huh. I might have to try this. I don't like apple pie (yes I know, I'm a freak...not a big fan of cooked fruit) but with the raw apples this one might just be a winner.
I am.also not an apple pie fan - I prefer my apples uncooked. So this is my kind of apple pie and apples covered in caramel. If we had the ingredients in the house I would be making it now. I think I will go with a nut crust to avoid the gluten. That should be good with the apples and caramel as well. Yum!
I also did not know about this. Thanks for sharing! I don't know if we'll make the pie or not, but that's a great way to get some caramel dip for apples! ;-)
How did I not know about this? Hmmm. The possibilities seem good! And, because turnabout is fair play, here's a link to my current go-to death by sweetness: http://www.myfamilymealplan.com/2011/07/gooey-white-chocolate-fluffernutter.html Those are white chocolate fluffernutter bars!
I have all these ingredients in my kitchen. Coincidence? I think not.
Sure it could get easier! Skip the pie crust and just dip the slices right in the carmel! ;-) j/k
I'm not an apple pie fan but this made my mouth water.
Hope all is getting better,
Jackie
this solving the issue of those big candy apples that have terrible caramel to apple ratio. loving you.
:)
Maybe layer in some melted chocolate or Nutella and it would be similar to a Snicker's Apple?
Sorry I'm late to the party, but the explosion risk comes when the water level drops below the top of the can. Since less water evaluates from the crock pot, out is less risky. Just put enough water in to make sure the can remains completely submerged.
gorgeous. gorgeous gorgeous. gorgeous. gorgeous.
JUST made this pie. The vote is in from all my boys: WINNER. Delicious.
So... I made this, but didn't put nuts on top, and now it looks like this:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/385028_10150449075249209_515194208_8770834_1016085411_n.jpg
It looked like yours, then i put it in the fridge. WHAT DID I DOOOOO??:(