Apple Pie With Cornmeal Crust And Caramel Brandy Sauce Recipe

How to Make Apple Pie With Cornmeal Crust And Caramel Brandy Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel, core, and slice 6 medium apples into thick wedges.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup apple jelly, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 3/4 cup sugar. Gently stir.
3. Let the apple mixture stand for 30 minutes, stirring gently every few minutes.
4. Prepare the cornmeal crust: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. Cut 1 cup cold butter and 1/2 cup cold shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Mound the mixture to one side of the bowl.
7. Drizzle half of the 1/2 cup apple cider along the edge of the dry ingredients.
8. Gently toss a small amount of the flour mixture with the cider using a fork until moistened. Repeat with the remaining cider and flour mixture.
9. Gently gather the dough into two flat disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
10. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to 1/8 inch thickness between two sheets of floured wax paper.
11. Carefully remove the top sheet of wax paper and transfer the dough to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Remove the bottom sheet of wax paper.
12. Stir the apple mixture and reserve 1 tablespoon of the juice.
13. Spoon the apples into the crust, packing tightly and mounding slightly in the center.
14. Sprinkle the apples with 3 tablespoons of sugar and dot with 2 tablespoons of butter.
15. Roll out the second disk of dough and place it over the filling. Fold and crimp the edges to seal.
16. Brush the top crust with the reserved apple juice and sprinkle with sugar.
17. Place the pie on a baking sheet.
18. Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
19. Bake on the lower oven rack at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes.
20. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), move the pie to the middle rack, and bake for 35 minutes.
21. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the juices are thick and bubbly, and the crust is golden brown.
22. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
23. Prepare the caramel-brandy sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup heavy cream to a light boil over medium heat.
24. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup sugar, stirring constantly until smooth (about 4-5 minutes).
25. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons brandy (optional), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
26. Let the sauce cool slightly before serving.
27. Serve warm apple pie with caramel-brandy sauce.