Salted Caramel Apple Pie Slab Recipe with Perfectly Rustic Pie Crust

So, the other day I got a call from my newly married, precious, daughter and her hubby. They wondered if we might join them for an outing to one of our local apple farms. Just happened I had a Groupon waiting to be used for U-pick apples, that paired with two kiddos dying for an excuse to close the books and hit the road for a little fieldtrip made for a no-excuse-in-the-world-can-stop-us-from-going attitude. 

After a spot of lunch in the Cafe we put our soles to the gravel road leading out to the orchard. It was a beautiful walk that spurred a lot of conversation. AND with Nate I do mean, A LOT! The boy has much to say and ask, okay? 

Plucking the PERFECT apples off the trees was so much fun.

So, what do you do with deliciously fresh picked apples, or any apples for that matter? Bake them into something divine of course!

So, Apple Slab Pie it is. 

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for my Mother-in-laws WORLDS BEST Pie Crust Recipe in my Grandma's Apple Dumpling Recipe. It makes a mean pie crust, I mean MEAN like flakiest pie crust I have probably ever inhaled. So very, very tasty. However, I knew for a Pie Slab I would need a less delicate crust that could allow for a bit more handling without breaking down.

In my searches for the best pie crust over the years, I have seen a few recipes that included egg and vinegar. So, I decided to try out the Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pie Crust. Only, I knew for my slab creation I would need to make a slight alteration... BUTTER. Yes, butter. These ALL shortening crusts just leave me longing for that deep, rich golden butter flavor that can't be matched with imitation flavoring. I also was looking to increase the density of the dough that would give me a rich, rustic crust. 

Perfectly Rustic Pie Crust

• 1 cup Crisco (butter flavored vegetable Shortening)
• .5 cup Butter
• 3 cups All-purpose Floure
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 whole Egg
• 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
• 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

SIFT flour and salt into a large bowl.  With a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco & butter into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Sprinkle in 5 tablespoons of ice-cold water & 1 tablespoon of white vinegar mixed together. Use a fork to gently work small areas of the dough together until it can form a ball. Don't work it too much, or dough will become tough.

Roll out your dough sandwiched between waxed paper that is slightly floured (the wax paper reduces the need for so much flour and leaves you with a more tender crust) sprinkle flour on top and bottom of dough to prevent sticking.

Roll out 2 pieces of dough to a little larger shape than the dish you will be using to bake your slab. Make the dough as think or thin as you prefer. I really like a thick crust - so I typically have my dough at 1/8-1/4" thick.

{If you want to freeze this dough for future use - just make disc shapes with dough, bag and freeze.}

Pie Filling

You can fill your pie slab with just about anything. On this one I used my typical apple pie / dumpling filling recipe.{Which I just make up by eye} I peeled, cored and sliced 4 apples, Added 1 cup of sugar, a couple teaspoons of cinnamon, and .25 cups of flour for thickening. Then drizzled with my homemade Salted Caramel Sauce over the top of the apples once they were layered over the bottom slab of dough that I had placed on the stoneware pan I was using. 

Once you have the bottom dough in place on your baking dish, have it topped with your filling (with at least an inch in from the edges of the dough) - and layered your top crust on, it is time to tuck, roll and press your dough edges around the perimeter of your slab. Now, hear me on this - it isn't supposed to be pretty. What makes this so delightfully appealing to the eyes and tastebuds is the rustic-ness of it; hearty, crusty yet flaky. This is the kind of dessert you can just dig right into and devour. Not to be confused with those intricately designed desserts that are delicate and must be oh-so, politely eaten.  Nope - devour this people. This is good grub - grab n' go. 

Toss it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30-45 minutes - until golden. I put a cookie sheet down on the rack below - in case any drippings escaped. 

-Simply Sublime

Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Dumpling Recipe: Seriously BEST Fall Dessert Ever

Okay, I know I have said BEST EVER, on a few of my recipes. This, however, should be labeled under my BEST EVER, all-time FAVORITE, can't pass through fall without making it, family roots, recipe. 

I simply cannot remember a single fall season of my life that didn't contain a batch of apple dumplings. If it wasn't my Grandma whipping some out, it would be my Aunt, or my Mom. Our family doesn't have a lot of recipes that have lasted through the generations, as we are a creative cooking family that enjoys trying the new. These dumplings have yet to be knocked out of our #1 dessert placement. Nothing can beat 'em, I tell ya!

So this recipe is not super precise one (outside of DO NOT DEVIATE from granny Smith). Depending on how juicy the apples are, how tart the apples are, will depend upon the quantity of sugar and spices. It's all to the taste...which isn't a bad thing...it leads to lots of tasting along the way of preparation. If you like thick crust, thin crust...it's up to you. BIG dumplings, small dumplings... up to you. Nutmeg...no nutmeg...again, up to you! :) 

Now, for a note on the pie crust used in this recipe. I have recently converted from the traditional, classic: Betty Crocker Recipe Crust,  to a new flakier, more flavorful, version. Let me give you a little morsel of insight here - there is an ingredient that makes me cringe a little BUT I guarantee you, it is worth the try.  I am absolutely NOT a fan of Crisco. Pretty much, like really, dislike it. Add any kind of artificial flavoring to it...like butter - UGH - no way. BUT hear me out... {GULP}... listen closely and quickly... this is the ONLY place I believe you will EVER hear me say it. Butter Flavor Crisco simply makes the BEST Pie Crust. A specialty pie maker shared her secret recipe and you guys are getting it here. I am pretty sure you will end up thanking me! 

Our family finds great joy gathering around the kitchen making the apple dumplings. Okay, to be honest, we enjoy eating them MUCH MORE! We have so many dumpling-filled memories swirling through our minds. Call us the Apple Dumpling Gang. 

I hope you enjoy our family recipe as much as we do. 

Grandma's Apple Dumplings: 

Best EVER (and I mean it)

Ingredients

• recipe Granny Smith Apples
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons Cinnamon
• Dash Nutmeg (optional)
• 3Cups + 1/4 Cup Flour
• 2-2/3 Cup Lard
• 2/3 Cup Ice Water
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• Wax Paper

Cooking Directions
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees
Dumpling Filling:

1. Peel, core & chop apples. Place chopped apples in a large bowl - add sugar & cinnamon (to your taste),(nutmeg if desired) add 1/4 C. flour to the apples mixture to thicken. When well mixed, set Aside.

Pie Crust: (you can use store bought - or your own version, if you must. BUT this recipe is the BOMB.COM...FLAKIEST Pie Crust EVER)

1. Sift Flour and salt into a large bowl, add lard Using pastry cutter, combine flour and Crisco until pea-sized or smaller. Add water by sprinkling a little at a time into one area and gently mixing with fork - work about a 2-3" area at a time until all of the flour is moistened and can be formed into 4 balls of dough.
2. Dampen your working service lightly and place a sheet of wax paper down (this will be your rolling mat) the slight moisture suctions the wax paper to the counter) dust wax paper with flour and place on dough ball on it - sprinkle dough with flour, flatten down slightly and place another sheet of wax paper over top. Roll from the center out until the dough is 1/8-1/4" thick. Cut it into quarters (4 pieces) Scoop about 2/3 C. apple mixture into the center of each piece of pie crust (do one at a time) and wrap dough around, crimping and pressing dough firmly to seal at base. place sealed side down in a pie dish. Repeat until all pie crust has been filled.
3. You should have 2 pie pans with 8 dumplings in each.
4. Now, dab butter on the top of each dumpling. sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, if you would like. Now, here is the trick. Yo won't want to miss this step - this sets these dumplings into the top category. Take the apple/cinnamon juice left in the bottom of the bowl and pour over the dumplings in the two pans. Now, if the left over juice filled the pan half way up with liquid you are good to go... if not half way up the side of the pan... then add water to cover bottom half of the dumplings. Then VOILA....they are ready to go in the oven on the middle racks.
5. Bake for approx 35-45 minutes. Until golden brown and filling is nice and gooey, and added water has become a gooey, cinnamony, delight!

-Simply Sublime

Kid Friendly DIY Valentine's Day Treat Idea: Strawberry Hand Pie Recipe

My friend and I are teaching an Intro to 4-H at the Fair Class at our Homeschool Co-op. This week we were focusing on making posters. Whoopieeeee.... "NOT" said the children. In planning our day I knew I would need to add a splash of spectacular with a sprinkle of yummmacious to add to our "please lift your head up from the table and wake up" poster lesson.  A quick search to a few of my favorite inspirational blogs and I found the PERFECT finger licking, lip smacking project. 

It didn't take me long once I hopped on over to one of my very favorite blogs, Handmade Charlotte. This is a delightful blog packed full of heartwarming and creative projects & ideas. They had a post on these ooooh-la-la delish Strawberries & Cream Hand Pies by their new foodie contributor Sarah Kieffer from The Vanilla Bean Blog . I LOVE the photos they posted and the ease of the recipe is a double bonus.

To make an even easier version { Hey, before you judge, I was on the tail end of helping my husband plan an EVERYDAY HERO Awana Boys Overnighter the same day I was teaching this class} I used a refrigerated pie crust {gasp}. Yes, I did just type that and I did use it. This is NOT something I would usually promote as I find refrigerated pie crust to have less flavor, less flake and more preservatives...BUT the prep for this particular day needed to be minimal, like almost non-existent. 

All you need on your grocery list for these pockets of goodness are 7 simple items:

Pie Crust

Strawberry Jam

Cream Cheese

Eggs

Vanilla Extract

Sugar

Salt

For the complete recipe head on over to Handmade Charlotte.

The hand pies were a HIT! We had 11 kiddos eagerly assembling their precious, edible creations and we got them all made and baked in 40 minutes. Whew! They were YUMMY! So yummy that I used the leftovers when I got home to make my friends a little bagged treat for our weekend getaway that evening. 

These are the larger ones I made for my girlfriends with a little heart cut out. In addition to the hand pies I needed to whip up some quick packaging for some extra eye candy. By the time I pulled them out of the oven I had about 5 minutes left to whip up packing. Little brown lunch bags, red & white bakers twine, a hole punch and VOILA... simple packaging. Good things come in small paper bags, right?

I think they turned out pretty cute - and - the girls loved them!

-Simply Sublime