Salted Caramel Apple Galette

Savoring the season with Sharon Harris's delectable autumn poem. Reprinted with permission from the author

"Autumn"
by Sharon Harris

Autumn
is a shy lady,
gentle and cool,
a bit aloof in her ways,
sharp sometimes
but beautiful too.
she dresses in robes of brilliant color,
ever-changing
from rust to gold,
from amber to shimmering red.
she is flamboyant in her dress
but quiet otherwise.
there is a deep secrecy in her voice,
frost on her breath
and the look of death in her eyes.

"Autumn" from "Four Seasons Women"
previously published in "Unspoken" 2011

And  there's nothing any better to serve with a poem than a Salted Caramel Apple Galette.

A delicious fall dessert with all your favorite apple pie flavors and it's less work than making a pie. 

Cooking Notes: A galette is a free-form pastry, baked without a pie or tart pan. The dough is easy to make and much more forgiving than pie crust. The dough is rolled out flat, and then folded around the filling. It doesn’t matter if the crust tears a little or if the fruit juices leak out—galettes are supposed to look rustic. A prepackaged frozen or refrigerated pie crust can be substituted for a homemade pie crust recipe. Any mixed fruits (3 cups) e.g. blueberries, strawberries, raspberries can be substituted for the apples. 

Cooking Tips: Since I used a prepared refrigerated pie crust I found it can brown quickly (more than a homemade crust) so baking time is reduced. Using two kinds of apples produces a sweet and tart taste so I used 2 Granny Smiths and a Honeycrisp.
A recipe for homemade caramel sauce is posted. It can be stored in a screw type jar in the refrigerator. A shortcut is using a prepared caramel ice cream topping.
Recipe adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com  It is supposed to serve 6 but so good 4 seems like a more realistic number. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust e.g. Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust
• 3 apples (I used 2 Granny Smiths and 1 Honeycrisp) to equal 3 cups
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
•  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon Saigon
• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice mix
• Optional dash of nutmeg
• Milk for crust
• Small mixture of cinnamon and sugar mixed for outside crust  
• Caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Sea Salt Flakes

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Mix diced apples, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice and spices. 
• Lightly roll out single pie crust dough on a floured sheet of parchment paper.
• Place apple mixture in center leaving a 2 inch border all around.

• Fold the right and left side together toward the center. Fold top toward center , pleating the corners. Repeat the bottom dough in the same manner. 

• Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with a cinnamon/sugar mixture. 
• Bake galette on parchment paper 10 minutes and reduce temperature to 400 degrees and bake 18 minutes more. 

• Cool 10 minutes, sprinkle with crushed nuts in center, drizzle caramel sauce over galette and add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.

Caramel Sauce

Cook's Notes: This is an extra step making a homemade sauce but I found the taste off the charts!! It can be made a day ahead. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated.  The possibilities are endless for this sauce; over ice cream, cake, cheesecake, as a pretzel dip and an apple dip. 

Ingredients;

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, diced 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
• Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
• Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2 minutes. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumped up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3-4 minutes. It will eventually– just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.)
• Very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
• Remove from heat and stir in salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
• Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.