Ingredients

For crust

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup solid vegetable shortening, cut into slices and frozen
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into slices and frozen
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• 4 tablespoons vodka, very cold

For filling

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For apple caramel sauce

• 2 cups apple juice
• ½ cup heavy cream

For Assemblage

• 1 egg white
• Ultra fine sugar

Directions

Prepare crust

1. Put ½ the flour, butter, shortening, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse about 10-15 seconds.  Add rest of flour and pulse 6-8 times more.  Empty contents into a bowl.
2. Sprinkle water and vodka over the mixture while mixing it up gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Dough should be sticking together at this point.  Separate into two mounds and flatten out.  Wrap each in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to 12” on a surface dusted with flour. Use up to ¼ cup more flour as you roll out the dough to the right size.  Place dough on pie dish, press into place and crimp edges into place and trim excess.  Roll out second crust and place on baking sheet.  Refrigerate both pieces of dough one hour.
4. Preheat over to 350°F. To bake bottom crust, remove from refrigerators, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights (or rice).  Bake 15 minutes.

Prepare filling

1. Combine all Ingredients in a large ovenproof bowl and mix well.
2. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour extracted juices from the apples into a saucepan for the caramel sauce.  Let apples cool.

Prepare caramel sauce

1. To the reserved juice, add the additional apple juice. Boil on high until reduces to 1 cup.  30-45 minutes.
2. Carefully add the whipping cream and boil until thick.

Assemble

1. Add the cooled apples to the pie dish, cover apples with apple caramel sauce, then cover with second piece of dough making sure it completely wraps over edges.
2. Add 1-teaspoon water to egg white, whip with fork to slightly frothy, and then brush entire pie crust. Dust surface with sugar.
3. Make 3-4 vents into the pie dough to allow moisture to evaporate.
4. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Remove from over and let cool before serving.