Christmas Pie with Rum Gingerbread Caramel

I'm about to tell you something scandalous about this pie.  It's not too sweet, it's bursting with apples and tart cranberries and it's not about the crust.  Wait...did I just say that?  I, who am famous for eating the crust right out from under the filling?  Yup, though it pains me a bit to say it.  But, it's not so much that this pie is about the fruit but rather about how amazingly good the fruit tastes when it's slathered with the rum gingerbread sauce.  Actually, I think cardboard might be good slathered with this sauce.  One spoonful on top of each bite of fruit, one spoonful right into my mouth, repeat.  Seriously, someone take this sauce away from me right now.

If you've never treated yourself to homemade salted caramel you are missing out on a huge treat.  And when it's a kicked up rum and gingerbread version, it's... it's... oh, where's my spoon?!  This recipe is part of the CaptainsTable challenge where I get to play with rum and make fun things like rum caramel sauce (excuse me while I get another spoonful).  More importantly, for every recipe that anyone posts with the #CaptainsTable hashtag Captain Morgan Rum will donate $1 to WhyHunger.  So, if you have recipes to share on social media, please add the hashtag as well and check out other ideas on their Facebook and Pinterest pages.  And then go make yourself a big pot of rum sauce and slather it on...everything.  Enjoy!





Ingredients

Pastry Crust:
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
3/4 Teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons ice water

Fruit Filling:
3 Golden Delicious apples (or other sweet apples)
3 Granny Smith apples (or other tart apples)
1 Cup fresh cranberries
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Rum Gingerbread Caramel:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Cups heavy cream, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon ground ginger
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
Pinch of sea salt (1/4 - 1/2 Teaspoon)

To make the crust, combine the butter, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor with a steel blade and pulse just until it resembles course crumbs. Slowly pour in the ice water and pulse just until combined and a dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Peel, core and slice the apples. Toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice and combine with the cranberries, sugar, flour and salt.

After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a well-floured surface until it's about a 12" circle. Lay it into a buttered and floured 9" spring- form pan and pour in the apple cranberry mixture.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 - 50 or until the sides are a light golden brown.

While the pie is baking, make the sauce by melting the sugar in a pot over a low to medium flame.  Do not walk away.  When the sugar has completely dissolved, remove it from the heat and add the heavy cream.  The mixture will bubble up.  Return to a low heat and stir vigorously until all lumps are gone and the sauce is a light golden brown.  Stir in the butter, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and sea salt.  Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the spiced rum.  Serve the pie warm or at room temperature and with lots of warm caramel sauce.  Makes approximately 10 servings.

Check out my other Captain's Table recipes