Honey Bourbon Caramel Loquat Apple Pie

The loquats are in season (well, mostly), so I decided to make a Honey Bourbon Caramel Loquat Apple Pie. With a touch of bourbon, because that was in the recipe I was adapting.

 

Ingredients:

Pie Crust

• 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) flour
• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces, 225 grams tablespoons or 1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold and diced into 1/4” or so pieces
• 1/3 cup ice water + 2 to 4 tablespoons

Filling

• ~ 5 cups of ripe loquats
  (before cleaning, about 2.5 cups or so after cleaning)
• ~ 3 cups peeled and diced apples (I used 3 small ones from Costco)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  (depending on ripeness of loquats and tartness of apples, add more sugar(
  
  Caramel Sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

Instructions:

1. Make up pie dough in advance!! 
2. Whisk together flour, sugar & salt in food processor.
3. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mix 
4. Cut in the butter with a several of bursts of a food processor until the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas
5. While food processor is whirling, slowly pour in 1/3 cup ice water.
   Add additional water as needed for dough to clump together, a tablespoon at a time.
6.  Divide dough into two pieces, shape into disks.
7. Wrap each disk snugly in plastic wrap, let chill in the refrigerator at least an hour.
   (This will give you time to de-seed the loquats.)
8. Wash and halve loquats, removing seeds.
   (I used a cherry pitter on most of them, but many of the pits were too big to pop into the holes. I also pulled off the skin previously around the pit, and most of the outer skin.)
   (This will take a while.)
9. Place a foil line pan in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
10. Make up the caramel sauce.
11. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl, then stir into loquats. Add vanilla as well. 
12. Cook until thickened (about 10 to 15 minutes); remove from heat and cool.
13. While filling is cooling, spray 24 wells in each of two mini muffin pans.
14.  Roll out one of the pie crust doughs to about 1/8th inch thick (oblong shape is fine)
15. Pour filling into pastry-lined pan, add top crust if desired, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
16. Bring caramel sauce ingredients (1/2 cup sugar, honey, bourbon and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
17. Wash down sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. 
18. Boil sauce about 5minutes more without stirring, swirling pan occasionally until the sauce is dark amber.
19. Remove pan from heat and add butter, swirling pan until butter is melted. 
20. Pour over fruit and stir to combine.
21. Roll out one section of pie dough and line the pie pan. Place back back in refrigerator while you roll out top.
22. Scoop loquat mix into pie pan, and cover with top crust. Pinch to seal.
23. Brush top all over with milk, then sprinkle with remaining one Tbsp sugar.
24. Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
    (I used a pie shield so the edges did not burn.)
25. Continue to bake until crust is golden-brown and filling is bubbling, about 50 minutes more.
    (Let cool to room temperature, 3 to 4 hours)

Carole's Notes:

The pie was tasty with mostly a tangy apple taste. I did not notice much caramel flavor, or any bourbon flavor at all.  I did get to use my new pie shield - and it seemed to work fine!

We couldn't wait for it to cool and possibly set up, so we served it cobbler style in a bowl.

The filling recipe is  adapted from http://www.sassyradish.com/2009/07/honey-caramel-peach-pie/
and the pie crust is lightly adapted from http://carolelikesroundfood.blogspot.com/2015/03/loquat-mini-pies.html