Hayley AvRuskin was awarded first place in the eighth annual Creemore Apple Pie Contest Saturday.
AvRuskin said she combined several recipes to make her winning Salted Caramel Apple Pie. She thanks her husband Phil Richmond for his artistic handiwork in creating the decorative vents in the upper crust.
In total 10 pies were entered in the contest and ribbons were awarded for the top six. Beth Mallory won second place and Gayle Millsap won third. Rose Tiley won fourth, Annette Chiasson won fifth and Judy Johnston won sixth place.
The judges were, Patrick Prime, John Golding, Sara Hershoff and Robert Hyland.
Organizer Allen Clarke thanks everyone who participated and Hershoff for her help in organizing the event.
Winners who did not pick up their ribbons can do so at The Creemore Echo office.
Hayley AvRuskin’s winning Salted Caramel Apple Pie recipe:
Pastry:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter (chilled)
2/3 cup shortening (chilled)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup ice cold water
Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
Cut in butter and shortening with pastry knife until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Pour water over flour mixture and blend together with pastry knife until dough comes together. Gather together gently and split dough in two. Make 2 discs, wrap in plastic and put in fridge.
Caramel Sauce:
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp butter, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
1 tsp salt
Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar melts and turns an amber colour.
Add butter gently, as mixture will bubble up. Stir until melted.
Very slowly, whisk in the cream, being careful as mixture will bubble up and splatter.
Allow mixture to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, stir in salt and let cool before using.
Filling:
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I used a mix of Spartan and Cortland)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
Put lemon zest and juice in bowl.
Add apples and gently mix.
Add dry ingredients to apples and gently toss.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Assemble and bake the pie:
Roll out one disc of dough, and place in pie dish.
Put apple filling in bottom crust.
Pour 1/2 cup of caramel sauce on filling.
Roll out top crust and place over filling.
Pinch the top and bottom crust together and finish decoratively.
Make vent holes in top crust.
Brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Place on baking sheet and bake at 400F for 20 min.
Turn temp down to 375F and bake an additional 40 minutes.
If pie looks too brown, cover loosely with foil.
To serve, drizzle pie with extra caramel sauce (I omitted this step for the contest).
Enjoy!
 AvRuskin based her recipe on this: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/07/04/salted-caramel-apple-pie/