Chai-Spiced Caramel Apple Crumble Pie
![clover-sonoma-huckleberry-cafe-apple-pie-sun-1121 clover-sonoma-huckleberry-cafe-apple-pie-sun-1121](https://www.sunset.com/wp-content/uploads/clover-sonoma-huckleberry-cafe-apple-pie-sun-1121-900x500.jpg)
What dessert could be better for the holidays than freshly baked apple pie? A pie made with caramelized apples enriched with fresh Clover Sonoma cream and butter, spiked with warming chai spices, and topped with a crunchy oat crumble and a big dollop of whipped cream. This delectable creation from Huckleberry Bakery & Café’s Zoe Nathan and Laurel Almerinda is all about layering amazing flavor, using the best ingredients possible, and making sweet memories!
How to Make It
Begin by making the flakey dough. If using a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt once to blend. Place the butter into the work bowl and pulse about three times until blueberry-sized. Pour the cream over the flour mixture and pulse another three times until the dough is only just starting to come together.
If mixing by hand, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl. Stir to blend. Toss the cold butter with the dry ingredients. Work the butter between your fingertips until the pieces are pea- and blueberry-sized. Add the cream. Lightly toss to distribute.
After combining everything either with a food processor or by hand, your mixture should be shaggy, dry and clumpy. Dump it out onto a clean work surface in order to bring the dough together by hand. (Do not flour the counter, as you do not want to add any more flour to the dough).
Begin by firmly pressing the entire surface of the dough with the heel of your palm. Toss and squeeze to redistribute the wet and dry patches.
Repeat, pressing thoroughly again with the heel of your palm and continue pressing, tossing, and squeezing until it begins to hold together. But, be sure not to overwork the dough! It should stay together, but you should still see pea-sized bits of butter running through.
Press the dough into a 3/4 inch-thick disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
While the dough chills, prepare the apples: In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, make a caramel with the butter, white sugar, and salt.
Once it’s nice and brown, add the apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger root, all the spices, vanilla, and the tea bags. Cook the apples for about 10 minutes until just tender, but not falling apart. Take the tea bags out and stir in the cream.
Next, prepare the oat crumble: Combine everything in a large bowl and work together with your fingers until a crumble forms. Chill until needed.
If the dough has been refrigerated for longer than 1 hour, allow dough to warm up at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before shaping. It should feel cold to the touch, but malleable. Never allow the dough to become too soft or warm. Chill as needed while working.
On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough to about an even 1/8-inch thick. Lay into a greased pie dish, being careful not to stretch the dough. Push dough into the corners and fold edges under to create a crimped edge.
Mound the cooled, cooked apple filling into the shell. Then, top the apples evenly with large chunks of the raw crumble. It’s okay if the apples are peeking out from underneath!
Chill the pie for at least 1 hour or overnight. Freeze if holding longer.
Bake from chilled in a 350°F oven for 1 ½ hours or until the filling bubbles and the topping is golden.
Ingredients
Directions
Begin by making the flakey dough. If using a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt once to blend. Place the butter into the work bowl and pulse about three times until blueberry-sized. Pour the cream over the flour mixture and pulse another three times until the dough is only just starting to come together.
If mixing by hand, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl. Stir to blend. Toss the cold butter with the dry ingredients. Work the butter between your fingertips until the pieces are pea- and blueberry-sized. Add the cream. Lightly toss to distribute.
After combining everything either with a food processor or by hand, your mixture should be shaggy, dry and clumpy. Dump it out onto a clean work surface in order to bring the dough together by hand. (Do not flour the counter, as you do not want to add any more flour to the dough).
Begin by firmly pressing the entire surface of the dough with the heel of your palm. Toss and squeeze to redistribute the wet and dry patches.
Repeat, pressing thoroughly again with the heel of your palm and continue pressing, tossing, and squeezing until it begins to hold together. But, be sure not to overwork the dough! It should stay together, but you should still see pea-sized bits of butter running through.
Press the dough into a 3/4 inch-thick disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
While the dough chills, prepare the apples: In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, make a caramel with the butter, white sugar, and salt.
Once it’s nice and brown, add the apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger root, all the spices, vanilla, and the tea bags. Cook the apples for about 10 minutes until just tender, but not falling apart. Take the tea bags out and stir in the cream.
Next, prepare the oat crumble: Combine everything in a large bowl and work together with your fingers until a crumble forms. Chill until needed.
If the dough has been refrigerated for longer than 1 hour, allow dough to warm up at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before shaping. It should feel cold to the touch, but malleable. Never allow the dough to become too soft or warm. Chill as needed while working.
On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough to about an even 1/8-inch thick. Lay into a greased pie dish, being careful not to stretch the dough. Push dough into the corners and fold edges under to create a crimped edge.
Mound the cooled, cooked apple filling into the shell. Then, top the apples evenly with large chunks of the raw crumble. It’s okay if the apples are peeking out from underneath!
Chill the pie for at least 1 hour or overnight. Freeze if holding longer.
Bake from chilled in a 350°F oven for 1 ½ hours or until the filling bubbles and the topping is golden.