Get ready for it..this is another post with a fabulous idea for using the season’s fresh produce! Lucky for us, we have fabulous neighbors who are always offering to share. From yard care tips to borrowed snowblower/shovels/wheelbarrows to heads up on delivered items while we are away from home to shared produce from their own garden and too many other daily blessings to list, we are truly fortunate to live next door! In regards to today’s post, those same neighbors of ours just so happen to have not one, not two, but multiple apple trees in their yard. Which means…you guessed it…we get to help take some of the extra apples off their hands!
Apples are fantastic because you can pretty much always find a way to enjoy them. Too sour? Use those for an apple crisp and top with that delicious cinnamon sugary crumble! Too sweet or mushy for your liking? Helloooo applesauce! Too many bruised spots? Cut it up and use the good parts in a salad! Crisp, tart, sweet, and perfect? Wash it and eat it plain! They come in so many colors and different varieties so they are a super versatile ingredient. I was recently gifted some gorgeous green apples by that very same generous neighbor and I’m not sure why but my first thought was that I really wanted to make my mom’s caramel apple pie recipe.
I always loved how pretty her presentation was with it I also just so happen to have a serious weakness for anything with great caramel. While I would love to lie and say that weakness has lessened over time, I will opt for truthfulness and say that Mrs. Richardson’s caramel will probably always be near and dear to my caramel lover heart! Yes, I have a favorite brand and am a bit of a caramel snob…what of it? For anyone who hasn’t tried that version yet do yourself a favor and seek it out in the very near future. Just TRY to ever enjoy a banana split or this decadent dessert with anything else after you’ve had Mrs. Richardson’s. I dare you! You’re welcome in advance!
But, I digress, back to the recipe! This recipe is reminiscent of childhood in so many ways and I personally think it is a fantastic way for adults to enjoy a more mature version of caramel apples. Kids love it too because it is way less overwhelming to eat a slice of this than try to figure out how to begin with an apple half the size of their head. Also, it’s hardly even a dessert with all that fruit on top so surely mom won’t mind if they take another piece or two, right? 😉 My mom made this recipe more times than I can remember and I honestly don’t ever remember it lasting long regardless of what function she brought it to or what event it was made for. That’s a great problem to have seeing as this isn’t a dessert made for leftovers. Sliced apples are definitely best devoured the day of!
If you know my mom, you know her version of this dish is ridiculously perfect with the apples slices evenly sliced and beautifully arranged and the caramel drizzled just so. As you can see from the pictures below, I hate to disappoint so I didn’t even try to compare to that. I opted to go more for the rustic look. I honestly think the taste is bound to be incredible if you decide to thinly chop or slice or dice the apples and might even be ok if you use your own favorite caramel sauce on top instead of Mrs. Richardson’s or with store bought apples instead of home grown. I will never know but I trust all of you to try it however you fancy! Enjoy 🙂
Caramel Apple Pizza
This is a fantastic Fall dessert recipe and can be made any number of ways depending on the pan and presentation of your choice!
Ingredients
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened-1/4 cup powdered sugar
-1 cup flour
-8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
-1/3 cup brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 or 3 granny smith apples, sliced thinly
-1 can sprite
-3 tablespoons Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch caramel topping
-1/4 cup pecan pieces
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.2) Mix flour and powdered sugar in medium size mixing bowl, add in softened butter & mix well (I prefer to do this using my hands).
3) Spray pan (9″ round or larger) and place crust mixture just mixture together in. Spread evenly all the way to the edge of the pan.
4) Bake crust for 10-15 minutes until it appears very lightly browned on top. Remove to cool.
5) While crust is baking, pour can of sprite into bowl for apples to go in as they’re sliced.
6) Thinly slice applies (approx 1/8-1/4 inch width or finely chop) and put directly into sprite filled bowl to coat (this keeps them from browning).
7) When all apples are sliced, set the bowl of them in the sprite aside for 5-10 minutes.
8) Mix softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla well in small bowl.
9) Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust.
10) Remove apples slices from sprite mixture and pat dry with paper towel then arrange on top of the cream cheese layer.
11) Heat a couple tablespoons of the caramel topping in a small bowl and use a spoon or fork to slowly drizzle caramel over apple layer.
12) Sprinkle pecan pieces on top before slicing and serving!
Simplified By Stacie 
Mmmmm….a trip to the orchard is in my future!!
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