Warm cinnamon, spicy nutmeg, vibrant orange, and sweet, syrupy maple—there is nothing quite like the flavors of fall. Paired with zesty apples and woody bourbon, it makes for a melting pot of seasonal tastes that fill the senses with cozy, comforting warmth.
This baked caramel apple crostata is the epitome of fall wrapped up in a delectable dessert. The doughy layers of the golden crust hug the seasoned apples, while the caramel bourbon sauce blankets them with an extra dose of sweetness. You have to try this fall favorite!
Caramel Apple Crostata
By Danielle Robinson
Ingredients:
Pie Dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, sliced
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup ice water
Apple Filling
- 3 honeycrisp apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup pecans
Caramel-Bourbon Sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions:
Begin by preparing the pie dough. In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt and stir. Then add the unsalted butter and vegetable shortening and blend using a pastry blender. Slowly add the water in small increments and stir until a doughy consistency is formed. Then separate the dough into equal parts, form into a flat circle about ½ inches thick, wrap in cellophane, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375℉, then prepare the apple filling. Mix the apple slices, flour, salt, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest in a large bowl until the apple slices are fully coated. On a flour-dusted, flat surface roll out one disc of the dough into a 12-inch round. Place the pie dough on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and fill with apple mixture, leaving a 1 ½ -inch border. Then, gently fold the dough over the apples pleating to hold it in. Then add the room temperature butter and pecans to the top of the apples. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the butter is melted and the dough is golden brown.
While the crostata bakes, prepare the caramel-bourbon sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and water and stir. Then, add the salt and heavy cream, stirring until combined, then pour in the bourbon and reduce heat to medium-low when bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat and drizzle the sauce onto the baked crostata and bake in the oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
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