Pear Pie & Salted Carmel Sauce

This amazing pie is from sallysbakingaddiction.com/caramel-pear-pie/ It’s REALLY good!! You need to do three things here, make the pie dough, put it in the fridge to chill, then make the carmel (It’s truly hard to stop licking it off your spoon or fingers) and once you have everything ready, get your pears ready. Make sure you drain the pears REALLY well. I sort of drained mine and the pie was pretty wet, though it chilled up fine.

Homemade Pie Crust (my recipe makes 2 crusts; 1 for bottom 1 for top)

6 cups 1/2-inch chunks of peeled pears (about 5 pears)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice*
1 cup salted caramel (full recipe)*
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust

1. 

The crust is very flaky.
2. Prepare pie crust recipe through step 5.
3. Make the filling: Stir the pears, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Set filling in the refrigerator as the oven preheats.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
5. Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9×2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth.
6. Spoon the filling into the crust, leaving any excess liquid in the bowl (you don’t want that in the filling– discard it). Drizzle 1/2 cup of caramel evenly on top. Stick the pie in the refrigerator as you work on the top crust.
7. Arrange the lattice: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 inches diameter. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut ten 1-inch strips. (I cut four of the strips in half, as you can see above.) Remove the pie from the refrigerator and carefully thread the pie dough strips over and under one another to create the look in the pictures pie, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small knife to trim off excess dough. Flute the edges or crimp with a fork. (Alternatively, you can simply cover the filling with the 12-inch pie dough circle. Cut slits in the top to form steam vents. Trim and crimp the edges.)
8. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
9. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.
10. Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Before serving, drizzle leftover caramel on top of pie or on each slice. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I would wait longer than 3 hours before I cut next time I make this and there WILL be a next time!

Pie Crust

2 and 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
6 Tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
3/4 cup (148g) vegetable shortening, chilled
1/2 cup (120ml) ice water

Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and shortening.

Using a pastry cutter (the one I own) or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick.

Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water– since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon (15ml) added. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 1/2 cup (120ml) of water and a little more in dry winter months (up to 3/4 cup).

Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands.

Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days).

When rolling out the chilled pie dough discs to use in your pie, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected!

Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.

Salted Carmel

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons (90g) salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
Instructions

Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2 minutes. If you notice the butter separating, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves.)
Very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.