Fucking Awesome Pie (Caramel)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2‐Deep dish pie shells (homemade or frozen) most of the time I do homemade to fit the pie pan I’m using. I’m not a fan of the frozen ones.
    I cook these, first brushing a little egg wash (1 egg and a splash of milk thoroughly mixed) on the outer edges of the crust, then sprinkling large decorative sugar crystals on the egg wash.

  • 1ST LAYER, CARAMEL & CREAM:
  • 22‐Ounces Caramels
  • ½‐Cup Unsalted Butter
  • ½‐Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

  • 2ND LAYER, CREAM CHEESE:
  • 16‐Ounces Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, Softened
  • 4‐TBSPs Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 8‐TBSPs Sugar
  • 16‐Ounces, Thawed, Whipped Topping

  • 3RD LAYER, FRENCH SILK:
  • ½ lb.Unsalted Butter, Softened
  • 2‐Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 4‐Eggs (Pasteurized)
  • 4‐Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate, Melted, But Not Too Hot ‐ Do Not Burn
  • 1‐TBSP Vanilla Extract

  • DECORATIVE TOPPING:
  • 2 to 3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, whipped until stiff peaks form (see recipe for Stabilized Whipped Cream which includes a little unflavored gelatin, water and sugar)
  • A Few Caramels, Melted (I just use caramel ice cream topping. It’s a lot easier).
  • Milk Chocolate, Melted (I also just use chocolate ice cream topping, same reason).
  • Toffee Chips
  • Mini Peanut Butter Cups

DIRECTIONS:

CRUSTS:
  1. Prepare crusts (whether using frozen or homemade) using egg wash and sugar.
  2. I cook mine at 425 degrees until the sugar and egg wash on the outer edges just starts to turn golden.
  3. You don’t have to cool them prior to adding the first caramel layer, so I try to melt the caramels while I’m cooking the crusts.
LAYER 1:
  1. Put caramels, butter and whipping cream in saucepan.
  2. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until caramels and butter melt (use a whisk for this).
  3. Remove from heat and stir until completely smooth.
  4. Pour into baked pie shells.
  5. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours until firm.
  6. Once Firm, I sprinkle these liberally with toffee chips.
LAYER 2:
  1. Mix cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth.
  2. Gently fold in whipped topping.
  3. Carefully spread over caramel layers.
  4. Chill until ready to add French Silk layers.
LAYER 3:
  1. Beat sugar with butter in large bowl until smooth.
  2. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Add melted chocolate; stir in vanilla extract.
  4. Mix well; spread on top of cool, firm, cream cheese layers.
TOPPING:
  1. Cover both pies with a thin layer of Stabilized Whipped Cream topping.
  2. Using a large pastry bag (or sandwich‐type bag with corner snipped off), “Pipe” dollops of whipped cream all over pie (I use a star shaped tip, but you can add this as you like).
  3. Decorate by crisscrossing melted caramel and melted chocolate, then sprinkle liberally with toffee chips.
  4. Using the pastry bag, again add a large star to what will become each slice of pie (I do 8 or more per pie plus one in the center).
  5. Add mini peanut butter cups to the final stars of whipped cream, or wherever else you desire.
  6. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
  7. It is easiest to serve if you use a sharp, clean knife dipped in warm water to cut each slice, cleaning and dipping the knfe between slices. Then it’s just a matter of getting the pie out of the pie plate and onto a serving plate in one piece. Good luck!

Notes:
As you may have noticed, this recipe makes 2 pies

I was working on the recipe to these pies when my cousin was visiting. After tasting them for the first time, he gave them their name: “These are Fucking Awesome Pies!”

The recipe isn’t as complicated as it looks, but it does take some time to complete.

And they aren’t cheap pies to make, but once you taste them, you’ll know why, and you won’t care.