This was the apple pie that helped mend my broken heart when our Kitty Cat Aria went to heaven. I needed a place to put my grief. That day when I woke to a sunless sunrise, I knew the only way I could pay tribute to our Aria was by making this apple pie. I even painted the backdrop board. I had to keep busy and I had to be creative.
If you feel like an easier version try my Apple Strudel
Aria’s Caramel Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 575 g granny smith apples cored and sliced net weight 440g 14 slices per apple thickness
- 30g brown sugar
- 1 Tbls fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbls maizena
- ¼ tsp mixed spice
- 2 Tbls caramel sauce optional
- 1 20cm Pâte Sucrée pastry case see recipe below pre baked @180ºC for 15 min and cooled
- 100 g grated Pâte Sucrée
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbls brown sugar
- ¼ tsp mixed spice
- 2 Tbls slivered almonds
Instructions
Prepare the apples
- Core Apples
![]()
- Slice apples into 14 slices per apple
![]()
- placed the sliced apples in a saucepan along with the sugar, lemon juice and zest. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. The apples must hold their shape and not be mushy.
![]()
- Remove from the heat and stir in the maizena and zest. Set aside to cool
![]()
Prepare pâte sucrée
- you will need about 300 – 350g pastry 200g for the pie shell and 100 – 150g grated for the apple pie topping
![]()
- bake the 20cm pie shell for 15 min at 180ºC
![]()
- fill the case with the prepared apples and caramel sauce
![]()
- Topping – Grate the 150g pâte sucrée, add the lemon zest, sugar, mixed spice and almonds . Use a fork to gently mix altogether. Sprinkle the topping over the prepared apples and caramel sauce.
![]()
- Place the apple pie on a baking sheet and bake in pre heated 180ºC oven for 30min or until golden brown.
- Serve with whipped cream or ice cream whilst still hot Serves 4 -6 people
Pâte Sucrée – Sweet Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 Ex L egg
- 1 Ex L egg yolk
- 225 g icing sugar sifted
- 4 g salt
- 300 g cold unsalted butter
- 500 g Cake flour I use Chrystal Valley 00 flour
- 40 g maizena
Instructions
- In stand mixer whisk attached mix egg, yolk, sugar and salt to combine
- Change to paddle attachment add cold butter, flour and maizena mix until dough comes together.
- Measure 200g and wrap in cling film. Repeat until you have about 5 batches. Total Yield about 1Kg
- Each 200g batch make 6 x 10cm pastry cases or 1 x 20cm pastry caseFreeze or refrigerate until neededWhen needed roll out the defrosted dough and gently fill lose bottom pans.
![]()
- pre-bake in Pre heated 180°C oven for 15 min to 20min
- Options:- When cooled brush with chocolate to ensure the bases don't get soggy.
![]()
- Fill with my lemon curd cheesecake mix decorate with my Kumquat preserve white chocolate shards and a dusting of bronze edible crystals. I also did a squiggle of Swiss meringue Alternative fillings use Creme Patisserie and fresh fruit glazed with apricot jam. Or chocolate ganache and nuts
![]()
![]()
