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Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe

4.7 from 575 reviews

This classic American-style apple pie features a flaky and crunchy homemade pie crust filled with tender, spiced apple slices. It is beautifully complemented by a rich, smooth homemade vanilla caramel sauce and served with creamy vanilla ice-cream, making it an ultimate cozy comfort dessert perfect for fall and winter seasons.

Ingredients

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Pie Crust

  • 2g salt
  • 75ml cold water
  • 230g all-purpose flour
  • 150g butter, cubed

Apple Pie Filling

  • 500g apples, peeled and sliced (about 0.5cm thick)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 30g sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, scraped (Dr.Oetker)
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste (Dr.Oetker)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 50g butter
  • 65g brown sugar
  • 20g flour
  • 35g sugar
  • 3g cornstarch (maizena)

Vanilla Caramel Sauce

  • 200g sugar
  • 20g glucose or honey
  • 330g heavy cream (35% fat)
  • 35g cold butter, cubed
  • 2 vanilla pods, scraped
  • 1g salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pie Crust Dough: Mix 2g salt with 75ml cold water and refrigerate until needed. In a mixer bowl, combine 230g flour and 150g cubed butter with a paddle attachment on low speed until a crumble forms. Add the cold salted water mixture and mix until the dough comes together but still has small butter clumps. Shape dough into a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  2. Roll and Assemble Pie Crust: Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface or between parchment papers to about 3mm thickness. Fit the dough into a 20cm ring mold (or similar round baking tin), cutting bottom and creating strips to line the sides. Press edges to seal and refrigerate until filling is ready. Roll out remaining dough for top decoration strips and keep chilled.
  3. Prepare Apple Filling: Peel and slice apples into 0.5cm thin pieces. Place in a large bowl, add juice of half a lemon and 65g brown sugar, mix, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid from apples using a sieve.
  4. Cook Apple Filling: In a medium pot, melt 50g butter over medium-low heat and add 65g brown sugar, 35g sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, scraped vanilla pod, and 1 tsp vanilla paste. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Stir in 20g flour and 3g cornstarch, mixing well to bind the liquid. Add the drained apples and simmer gently on low heat for 10 minutes until they begin to soften. Remove from heat and cool for 20 minutes.
  5. Fill Pie and Decorate: Pour cooled apple filling into the prepared pie crust. Arrange rolled dough strips on top in a lattice or decorative pattern. Chill the assembled pie before baking.
  6. Bake the Pie: Preheat oven to 170-175°C (fan mode). Bake the pie for 35-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
  7. Make Vanilla Caramel Sauce: In a small pot, combine 330g cream, scraped vanilla pods, and 20g glucose or honey. Heat gently to a boil and keep warm. In a separate pot, caramelize 200g sugar over medium heat, stirring carefully until dark amber. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture in small portions—handle carefully as it will bubble vigorously. Simmer on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
  8. Finish Caramel Sauce: Strain caramel sauce through a sieve into a heatproof container. Add 35g cold butter cubes and 1g salt. Blend with a hand blender until smooth and shiny. Cool and store in an airtight container.
  9. Serve: Slice cooled apple pie and serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and drizzle of warm vanilla caramel sauce. Optionally add whipped cream.
  10. Storage Tips: Store leftover pie without caramel sauce in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven before serving; add warm caramel sauce and ice-cream at serving time to avoid soggy crust.

Notes

  • Keep pie crust dough chilled at every step to ensure flaky texture and prevent shrinking.
  • Do not overcook apple filling; apples should retain some texture as they continue cooking in the oven.
  • Caramel sauce thickness can be adjusted by simmering longer; reheat if it thickens too much in fridge.
  • Store pie without caramel sauce to avoid soggy crust.
  • Pie crust thickness is approximately 3mm (not 3cm) for best baking results.
  • This recipe works well with vanilla ice-cream or Fior di latte ice-cream for enhanced flavor pairing.

Keywords: apple pie, vanilla caramel sauce, homemade pie crust, fall dessert, baked apple pie, caramel sauce recipe, vanilla ice-cream dessert