Miso Caramel Apple Pie (Vegan)
Let’s indulge in the perfect blend of sweet and savory with this miso caramel apple pie! The umami-rich miso caramel perfectly complements the tender, spiced apples, which are tucked in a flaky vegan crust. This dessert not only satisfies your sweet tooth (I could literally eat the whole pie) but also offers a unique flavour that will leave your guests craving more!
Ingredients
- 2 store-bought vegan pie crusts
- 1-2 tbsp vegan butter melted, for brushing
Caramel Sauce
- 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1/4 tsp salt kosher
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp white miso paste or use red for more intense flavour
Pie Filling
- 3 honey crisp apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 3 green apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt kosher
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and prepare a 9" pie dish. Grease it generously with vegan butter or cooking spray.
- Unroll one sheet of pie dough. If the pie dough isn't large enough for your pie dish, you can gently roll it out on a floured surface. Lay it over the pie dish and gently press down with your fingers, sealing any cracks. NOTE: If using a pre-prepared pie dish (in the tin), skip these steps.
- Peel your apples and slice in half, then half again so you end up with quartered pieces. Remove the core and use a mandolin to slice thinly, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness.
- Transfer the apple slices into a mixing bowl along with lemon juice, sugar, spices and flour. Toss to combine and make sure every apple piece is nicely coated. Transfer this mixture into the pie dish, making sure the apple slices are nicely packed.
Miso Caramel Sauce
- Add sugar and water to a pot over medium heat and cook until all of the sugar has dissolved. Do not stir, but you can very gently swirl the pot if needed. Continue to cook on medium heat until it turns a deep amber colour, about 8-12 minutes.
- Drop the heat to low and add in 1 tbsp of vegan butter. Whisk rapidly. It will start to foam but just keep whisking until smooth.
- Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the miso paste and vanilla off the heat. Once again, whisk vigorously and keep whisking until nice and smooth.
Baking the Pie
- Pour the miso caramel sauce over top of the apple slices, then top off with your second sheet of pie dough. If wanting to do designs of any sort, let the caramel cool to room temperature first, otherwise your pie dough will start to melt upon contact. Brush any exposed crust with a little bit of vegan butter. Alternatively, you can bake this pie open faced.
- Transfer the pie dish into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the dish from the oven, and use a pie guard to protect the edges of the pie crust or simply wrap foil around the edges of the pie dish, so the center is exposed but the edges don't burn. Return to the oven at 375F and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling, crust is nicely golden brown and apples are fork tender.
- Let pie cool completely before serving (at least 3 hours).
Notes
- Avoid overly soft apples to make sure they hold up during baking.
- If you’re short on time or want evenly sliced apples without much effort, a food processor fitted with a slicing attachment can make prep super easy.
- For those making homemade vegan pie crust, always use cold butter to achieve that flaky, tender texture. The cold fat creates steam pockets as it melts during baking, giving the crust its signature layers.
- If you’re making a homemade pie crust, a pastry cutter can be a game-changer. It helps blend cold butter into the flour quickly and evenly, creating those perfect flaky layers.
- Get creative with the top of the pie! Use a rolling pin to evenly roll out your dough before crafting a lattice design or cutting out fun shapes with cookie cutters.