This is a little different from my usual blogging… trying something different… let me know what you think please!

I stumbled upon this recipe “CANDY APPLE PIE”, saved the recipe but didn’t bookmark the page, so I’m unable to give credit to the person who posted the recipe.

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I am at Marshes Light – new waterfront neighborhood on a marina in Manteo, NC (Outer Banks) today. I’m up bright and early thanks to Bike Boy (my husband who has taken up speed cycling in the wee morning hours – a popular pastime here on the OBX). So, I decide to make the most of my time and make Candy Apple Pie for Turkey Day dessert.

I have been looking forward to using my mother’s favorite pie dish. So, I get that out along with food processor. Nether of these things have seen the light of day in years as I don’t bake very often. I make the graham cracker crust by crushing the crackers and then mixing with melted butter and cinnamon. That gets prepped into the pie dish and baked for 6-8 minutes.

While that is baking, I chop enough pecans to make a cup (looks like a scant cup here) and start peeling the apples (Granny Smith). After the pie crust has cooled, I pour caramel ice cream topping into crust – the recipe calls for ¾ cup, but that seems like way too much, so I probably used ½ cup and then sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

By this time Bike Boy has returned from a 35 mile ride and is cold and hungry. I microwave a pack of cinnamon oatmeal, adding some of the sauteed apples and it’s a hit.

The apples are done and I add them to the pie crust. It doesn’t seem as if there will be enough room for all of the apples, that I am sauteeing in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until soft. The next step is the cream cheese topping. I mix up 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with lemon juice, vanilla, sugar and an egg until soft.

I add the apples to the pie crust and then cover it with the cream cheese topping – I didn’t think it would fit on top of the apples, but it settles down into the pan without too much fuss.

This goes into the oven at 350° for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. I set the timer for 20 minutes as I have a convection oven and tends to cook things much quicker. The pie is done and golden in about 22 minutes.

At this point, I let it cool completely and cover it and refrigerate overnight for Thanksgiving dessert. For the topping, I whip heavy cream with a little bit of sugar and some vanilla until soft peaks form. I completely cover the top of the cooled pie and then add the rest of the chopped pecans and drizzle with the caramel syrup. Bike Boy and the boys have been circling for a while, unusual behavior for them as they don’t usually eat dessert. I make them wait so I can take one last photo.

Delicious – Everyone loved it, and I’ve several requests to remake for Christmas.

What the original recipe did not call for was chilling it overnight, but I think this is very important as the flavors really developed in the apples and biting into that cold layer really balanced out the richness of the cream cheese and whipped cream toppings.