To prove I'm not totally useless

Spew's Stolen Caramel Apple Pie

I have a love affair with all things caramel apple pie. I found this recipe somewhere in my travels and tweaked it to get things just right.

Pie Crust:

I just use a frozen Marie Callender's frozen crust, but make your own dough if sufficiently motivated.

Filling:
5-6 medium apples – some say Jonathan or Granny Smith, but whatever you like best
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 crushed toffee bars – either Skor or Heath Bars

Filling:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Peel and chop apples. The apples should vary in size from quarter-sized to half dollar sized slices. The chopping will take some time, but I hate pies with only big chunks of apples. Sprinkle pieces with lemon juice to keep them looking fresh. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and add apples pieces. Toss to mix. Add vanilla and cream. Try to use good vanilla, not just the cheap store brand imitation, it makes a difference. Melt butter in heavy skillet or saucepan. Add apple mixture and cook approximately 8 minutes or so. This will help to soften the apples. Make sure to stir and flip the apples continually with a spatula as the sugar will caramelize rapidly. If you are stirring constantly there should be no sticking. Place into the pie shell.

Streusel Topping:
Combine the flour and sugar. Mix in butter with fork until coarse crumbs. Add the crushed toffee bars – the best way to crush them is to break them while in their wrappers. Sprinkle over the pie.

Baking:

Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake about 45 minutes longer. Check on the pie often as I have not yet perfected the cooking time – it may take a little more than 45 minutes. The streusel will look like it has burned spots, but these are just melted chocolate. I like to think of them as little pieces of deliciousness. This pie is great.