Arkansas Black Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce Recipe

The heirloom apple that makes this apple pie so tasty hails from Benton County, Arkansas. What makes it so special? The fragrant, tart, and tasty apple ripens to a deep red while still on the tree, but it continues to ripen after it is picked and transforms to a nearly black hue. Keep an eye out for these beautiful apples for your Thanksgiving pie. The Arkansas Black Apple Pie just needs a drizzle of Caramel Sauce and a scoop of ice cream to make your night perfect.

Arkansas Black Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Active Time:
1 hrs 40 mins
Stand Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
7 hrs
Yield:
8 serves

Ingredients

Apple Filling

  • 5 to 6 Arkansas Black or Granny Smith apples (about 3 1/2 lb.), peeled and thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) or apple cider vinegar

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Crust

Egg Wash

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

Additional Ingredients

Directions

  1. Prepare the Apple Filling: Place apples and fresh lemon juice in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Stir together granulated sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, ground allspice, and kosher salt in a bowl; add to apple mixture, and toss well to combine.

  2. Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 425°F. Unwrap 1 chilled pie dough disk from Double-Crust Pie Pastry, and place on a lightly floured surface. Let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle dough with flour, and roll into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fit dough circle into a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Spoon filling into prepared crust, packing lightly to fill crust. Smooth out filling until even. (Do not mound in center.) Sprinkle diced butter over apples.

  3. Unwrap remaining chilled pie dough disk, and place on a lightly floured surface. Let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle dough with flour, and roll into a 12-inch circle. Cut dough round into 10 (3/4-inch-wide) strips. Arrange strips in a lattice design over filling; trim strips to be even with the bottom crust's 1-inch overhang. Fold dough edges under, and crimp. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet.

  4. Prepare the Egg Wash: Stir together large egg and water in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush egg mixture evenly over piecrust. Sprinkle granulated sugar over piecrust, if desired.

  5. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Loosely cover pie with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F until crust is golden brown, apples are tender, and juices are bubbly, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, removing foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to finish browning crust. Transfer pie to a wire rack, and cool completely, about 3 hours. Serve pie with Caramel Sauce and, if desired, ice cream.

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