GARDEN COUNTY CARAMEL APPLE PIE    

Crust:  

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher or Hawaiian salt, crushed

½ cup Crisco Butter flavored all-vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces

½ cup cold unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

½ cup cold water

Cooking spray 

1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add shortening and butter.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter until the mixture resembles course meal. 
2. Drop by drop, add the cold water.  Mix in with the finger tips not hands as the palms will warm the dough.  Continue mixing water in until the dough begins to hold together without being sticky but not crumbly.  Divide dough into two pieces and place one piece of dough in plastic warp.  Press down to form a disk.  This will make rolling out easier after chilling. 
3. Lightly spray a deep 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.  Roll out second piece of dough and place in pie plate, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the edge.  Lightly brush sides and bottom of crust with egg wash.  Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes before filling. Makes pastry for 9-inch double-crust pie. 

Filling:

6 cups apples (Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Pippin, Granny Smith), peeled and sliced

1-2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, about ½ a lemon

½ cup light brown sugar, packed well

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably Chinese Cassia

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste

4 tablespoons heavy cream

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice.  Set aside.  In a medium mixing bowl combine light brown sugar, white sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Mix well and add to apples.  Using a spatula, toss gently to blend.  Add vanilla and cream. 
2. In a large heavy bottom skillet melt butter.  Add apple mixture and cook about 8-10 minutes or until the apples have begun to soften.  Remove from heat and gently spoon into prepared pie crust.  Set aside and prepare topping. 

Topping: 

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ounces of pecan brittle or 2 toffee bars, crushed

Vanilla sugar

1. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour and sugar.  Using a pastry blender or a fork, mix in the butter until crumbly.  Stir in the crushed toffee bar or pecan brittle.  Sprinkle over pie. 
2. Roll out remaining pastry.  Cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Lightly brush egg wash around edge of pie (this will act like a cement bond between the top and bottom crust).  Cover pie with top crust and trim overhang.  Turn edges under flush with the rim; crimp all around to make a stand-up edge. Crimp decoratively.  Brush top of crust with egg wash. 
3. Bake pie at 450F for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350F and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.  Cool on wire rack.  Serves 8-10