Salted Caramel Apple Mini Pies

This recipe came from "Just a Taste" blog, where I think she got her recipe from King Arthur's flour.  I tried to follow this recipe as close to possible, which is unusual for me.   Kelly from JAT blog said that you can buy large flake sea salt at any supermarket, but going to 6 places and not finding it, maybe it's not the thing here in the Southwestern U.S.  I used regular sea salt instead.  Not sure if that makes a difference or not.

My husband prefers this dough recipe over the one I used for the empanadas, so I will next time use this recipe for the empanadas, too.

Ingredients for Dough:

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (I haven't tried this with almond meal or coconut flour yet)
• 1/2 tspn sea salt
• 1/2 tspn baking powder (you can use cream of tartar & baking soda instead)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup cold sour cream

Ingredients for Filling:

• 1 cup small diced (peeled) Granny Smith apple (putting it into a mini food chopper is faster)
• 2 tspns fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbspn cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar (you can use xylitol instead)
• 2 tspns all-purpose flour (you can use almond meal)
• 4 store bought soft caramels, chopped (mini food chopper makes this easier)
• 1 Tbspn sea salt
• egg wash (1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tbspn water)
• crystal sugar

Directions for Dough:

• Sift flour, salt, baking powder together in a large glass or stainless steel bowl.

• Put the flour mixture in a KitchenAid bowl.  Add the cold butter to it.  Mix on a low setting until the mixture resembles wet sand.

• Add sour cream.  Keep mixing until a ball is formed, or something close to it.
• Flour your work surface.
• Knead the dough some until it comes together.  If the dough is too sticky, add 1 teaspoon at a time to it so you can handle the dough.

• Place a large sheet of wax paper over the dough and roll the dough to an 8x10 rectangle.  It's less messy to have the wax paper between the dough and the rolling pin.

• Dust both sides with flour and fold the 8x10 rectangle into thirds, like folding a letter.

• Rotate the dough 90° and once again roll into an 8x10 rectangle.  Dust and fold into thirds.

• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate as you make the filling.

Directions for Filling:

• In a small bowl, combine apple, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar, flour.  Stir until mixed well.  Set aside.

I used a whole LARGE Granny Smith Apple (way too much)

Directions for Pies:

• Preheat oven to 425° F.
• Remove dough from refrigerator.  
• Unfold it onto a well floured surface.  Roll into 14x14 inch square or bigger.

As you can see, this is the eyeball method for 14x14 rectangle

• Using a 3-4" circular cutter (can be a biscuit or cookie cutter, a cup or glass), make as many circles as possible.  You can also use other shapes to make your pies, if you desire.
• If you are making 10 pies, you will need 20 circles.
• Spray a baking sheet with oil.
• Place half the rounds on the cookie sheet.
• Top in the middle of each of those rounds with apple filling, leaving enough room all around for it to be sealed later.  Place with the apple filling some of the caramel bits and sprinkle with sea salt.

• Using your egg wash and a pastry brush, brush all around the filling edges.
• Top with a 2nd round, gently sealing all around the filling.
• With a fork, crimp the edges together, which seals the pies.
• Repeat with the remaining rounds until finish.

• Brush each pie with the egg wash.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 2-3 vents on the top of each pie.  Sprinkle with crystal sugar, if desire.
• Bake the pies for 15 min. at 425° F, or until golden brown.

• Remove pies from oven and allow them to cool for about 10-15 min before serving.
• These pies are great hot or cold and served with French Vanilla ice cream.