Thanksgiving A Few Days Late

So I had the recipe below scheduled to post Thanksgiving Day but for some reason it did not post. I have been busy with the holidays and was out of town so I did not realize that it did not post until today. Even if this recipe did not get posted until after Thanksgiving it was a delicious apple pie recipe and I received many complements on it. This would be great for Christmas or just any time you are craving apple pie. (Oh and it is called Carmel Apple Pie and there is carmel in it but it was hard to taste… so my advice is to add more how could you go wrong with that!)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate way too much, I sure know I did!

Of course Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pie. And in my book the trinity of pies that should grace the Thanksgiving day table should be pumpkin, pecan, and apple (with streusel topping of course)!

But wait who am I kidding!?! Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksging without blueberry pie, cherry pie, and chocolate muse pie too! I love pie but really only eat it at this time of year so I must splurge and have a bite of everything! : )

But apple pie, now that’s classic. Especially with streusel topping, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce! That is why I HAD to make this pie from November’s cookbook of the month.

With graham cracker crust, carmel and streusel topping there was no way this could not be a winner! And a winner it was! A perfect pie for a perfect holiday!

Caramel Apple-Nut Crumb Pie
adapted from The Dean Bros. Cookbook: Recipes From The Road

Filling:
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup warm dulce de leche or carmel sauce
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled cored and thinly sliced

Topping:
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Crust:
1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker pie crust****

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together sour cream 1/2 cup dulce de leche, and remaining filling ingredients, except apples. Fold in apples. Spread remaining 1/4 cup dulce de leche on the bottom of the unbaked crust. Pour the apple mixture into crust and bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, 1 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg on low speed until the flour is moistened but still crumbly (do not over mix). With fork, gently fold in the chopped walnuts into the topping mixture,

Sprinkle the partially baked pie with the topping. Return the pie to the oven and bake another 30 minutes more or until golden brown. Drizzle pie with additional carmel sauce. Let pie cool completely before slicing.

***Below is my personal go to recipe for graham cracker crusts. Whether it be for pie, bars, or cheesecakes this is the recipe I use. I personally think it makes the best graham cracker crust!

Graham Cracker Crust
my own concoction

10 to 12 graham crackers
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

Crush graham crackers in food processor or by hand using a meat mallet or rolling pin (much easier using food processor so if you don’t have one get one). Place crushed graham crackers in bowl and add remaining ingredients. Press in to pie pan, or baking dish. Bake for about 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a light brown. If you are making a pie that will be going back into the oven to bake do not over bake your crust at this step; however if your pie is a no bake pie you will want to let the crust brown a little bit more.