Gluten Free Caramel Apple Pie

Back in the day, I used to bake a lot of pies. A LOT. Hundreds per day. Of course, they were frozen at the bakery I worked at, so we egg-washed and sugared the top and then baked until golden brown. I never really liked pie then though. I enjoyed pecan pie and pie crust but I was never big on fruit fillings.

A couple of years ago, I wanted some apple pie and found a really well-reviewed recipe on All Recipes. I picked up some Pillsbury rollout pie crust dough which was fairly new to us and went for it. It was unbelievable. Probably because it was more of a caramel version than cinnamon and nutmeg and if you've read any of my other posts, you know I love caramel.

The recipe is fairly simple to change over, but I had to make some pie dough.
Thankfully, I found Donna Jo's Dream Pastry from Bette Hagman online.
You can find it by a quick search but I find that a few of them either omit the water or have very little or just have the wrong ingredients.

I do not use shortening or butter substitutes because well, butter's better and I can't do soy without a lot of pain. You could also use 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup butter flavoured shortening.

Gluten Free Pie Pastry

 Adapted from Donna Jo's Dream Pastry which lacks the sweet rice flour  and Donna Jo's Dream Pastry from here.

• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1 cup sweet rice flour
• 1 rounded tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash sugar optional
• 1 cup butter
• 1 egg cold
• 1 Tbsp. GF vinegar
• 2 - 4 Tbsp cold water

 sweet rice flour for rolling

  

Blend together the flours, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter in small dabs until you have pieces the size of lima beans (not cornmeal).

Beat the egg using a fork; add the vinegar and ice water. Stir into the flour mixture, forming a ball. You may knead this a bit, since rice flour crusts can stand handling. Refrigerate the dough for an hour or more to chill.

Divide dough and roll out on a sweet rice-floured board (or on floured plastic wrap, for easier handling). Place in a pie tin. If using plastic wrap, remove it to the pie tin and invert the dough into the pan. Shape before removing the plastic. Bake as directed for the filling used.

For a baked crust, prick the pastry with a fork on sides and bottom. Bake the crust in a pre-heated 450 oven for 10 - 12 minutes, or until slightly browned. Cool before filling. Makes enough pastry for a 2-crust 9" pie plus 1 pie shell.

Well, now that that is over with.

Let's make pie!

Caramel Apple Pie

Adapted from Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie- unbaked

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons gluten free flour mix
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Golden Delicious and 3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced and placed in separate bowl

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Place the bottom crust in your pan.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in gluten free flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Pour half of caramel mixture over apples and toss gently. Return caramel to stove.
 Fill pie crust with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven on a cookie sheet to catch any drips. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

So it's not a perfect lattice but it was getting a wee bit warm. This is before I added the last half of the caramel

Mid way through baking. Definitely need a tray underneath.

Mmmm pie. I may or may not have pulled off pieces of crust to munch on.

Just as good as my old version

This post is linked to Gluten Free Wednesdays at The Gluten Free Homemaker and also to A Gluten-Free Holiday, hosted by Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free with this week's event Thanksgiving Favorites being hosted by Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily.

xo

Kathleen

Catch up with me on Twitter.
Visit on Facebook.
Get new posts by email.
Find a recipe.

Peanut Butter Squares

I wanted chocolate. I wanted peanut butter. I bought some Erewhon Gluten Free Organic Brown Rice Crisp Cereal today.

Which means, one of my old stand-bys from back in the gluten-filled day from my handwritten cookbook of all my favourites. Rather than Rice Krispies, this rice crisp cereal works out wonderful in a simple change to Gluten Free.

Peanut Butter Squares
 Line a 8x8 square pan with parchment paper

• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 2 cups rice crisp cereal
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

In medium saucepan, melt butter, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until smooth.
Pour in the cereal and nuts and stir until coated.  
Pour into prepared pan. 
Melt chocolate chips and 1/3 cup peanut butter together in small saucepan or melt in microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval until melted. 
Pour over cereal, spreading evenly. 
Chill until firm and cut into whatever size pieces you wish. 

This is the  "I can't wait for it to properly set before I have one" look.

This is always a Christmas party classic square which is when we usually have this. I think I might make it more often now.  

Ahhh, much better!

This post is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays

xo

Kathleen

Catch up with me on Twitter.
Visit on Facebook.
Get new posts by email.
Find a recipe.