Caramelized-Apple and Pecan Pie

Two days into my vacation and I am already completely exhausted. Tony and I had a very long trip to the "ghetto" Target yesterday and then I came home and baked, and baked, and...baked. I did so much cooking and tidying up, that I didn't have time to come up with something for today until the glorious JenFinn came to my rescue. You will see the results of my baking at the end of the week. Today, we have this awesome looking pie. Remember that pie pic I posted at the beginning of the month? Well, here is the final result. Unfortunately, I didn't get to stick around long enough to try this pie, but according to JenFinn and friends, it was pretty freaking amazing. Jen didn't alter the recipe at all, but forgot the egg wash initially and added it 20 minutes in, which she thinks is how the cracks developed. Regardless, it is beautiful and I really wish I could have been there to try it.


Scroll down to the bottom to see a picture of Raul's best turkey ever. Let me tell you, watching him lug that 25 pound turkey to the car from the farmers market was not a pretty site, but apparently it was one of the stars of the Thanksgiving dinner.


Caramelized-Apple and Pecan Pie
(From Bon Appetit November 2008 via Epicurious)

Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons (about) chilled orange juice, divided
1 large egg white, beaten to blend

Apples:
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
3 Albemarle Pippin apples or Fuji apples (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), peeled,quartered, cored

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup coursely chopped pecans, toasted

For crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until butter is reduced to small pea-size pieces. Add 4 tablespoons orange juice. Blend, using on/off turns, until moist clumps form, adding more juice by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of dough overhang. Fold dough edge under and crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim. Freeze 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate crust.

Brush inside of crust with enough beaten egg white to coat.

For apples:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk brown sugar and butter in large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture comes to boil. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Arrange apples, rounded side down, in syrup. Bake 15 minutes; turn over. Bake until just tender, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer apples to paper towels to cool slightly. Whisk syrup in skillet until smooth. Cool slightly and reserve. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Mix sugar, flour, and salt in small bowl. Place eggs in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in reserved syrup from apples. Add corn syrup, vanilla, and sugar mixture; whisk until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into crust. Arrange apples, rounded side up, atop filling.

Bake pie until filling is set in center, covering edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature.