Rough Puff Dough

As always, weigh out, gather, and prepare all ingredients prior to mixing. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and set aside. In a small bowl, add water to ice, and set aside. If there is too much ambient warmth in your kitchen, keep liquids in the refrigerator.

Pull out your very cold butter and cut into small chunks, cutting lengthwise, turning and cutting lengthwise again, then into approximately 8 pieces of 1/2 inch squares. I do this to make sure the butter squares are all uniform. That way, I know when it is all incorporated.

Now, toss your butter into the large bowl with your prepared dry ingredients, and make sure the butter is evenly coated in flour. Then take the pieces and shingle them: this is the method of smashing the butter between your thumb and index finger to incorporate the flour into the butter. Continue until each piece of butter has been shingled. The mixture should contain large smashed shingles of butter throughout.

Once the butter has been shingled into the flour, build a well in the center and add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) ice water into the well. Mix with your hands, tossing from the bowl's outer edge and coming up and under the water and sifting it through. Build a well again and repeat, adding another 4 tablespoons (or a 1/4 cup). Your mixture should begin to look shaggy and feel like dough when you press the mixture into the side of the bowl. You may need to add 1-2 more tablespoons of the ice water until you have a moist, but not wet, shaggy dough mixture.

In the large bowl, mold the dough, just slightly, into the bowl's sides and roll onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a loose rectangle, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and press lightly into a rectangle. Place in refrigerator to chill for 1-2 hours.

After 1-2 hours, pull dough out of the refrigerator. Before removing the plastic wrap, press down with a rolling pin just a few times.

On a floured work surface, unwrap dough and roll out to an 8 x 10-inch rectangle. Fold from the long end in half and then in half again. Wrap the folded dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, it's time for the first roll and fold. Unwrap dough and on a floured work surface, roll out to an 8 x 10-inch rectangle. Fold from the long end in half and then in half again. Wrap the folded dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes. Repeat this step three more times for a total of four-folds. Your rough puff dough should now be folded again into quarters and placed back into the plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Dulce de Leche

Preheat oven to 400˚f / 200˚c.

In a small baking dish or pie plate, pour sweetened condensed milk, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and place the baking dish or pie plate in a larger baking or roasting pan.

Place the baking or roasting pan on the center oven rack, and gently pour boiling water into it, ensuring water reaches two-thirds of the way up to the sides of the baking dish.

Bake for 2 hours, checking every 30 mins to ensure the water level is at least halfway up the baking dish; replenish boiling water if needed.

After two hours, leaving the dulce de leche in the oven, turn the oven off and prop the door open, and allow to cool, in the oven, for 30 minutes to an hour.

Remove the dulce de leche—be careful of the hot water—and leave the dulce de leche to cool at room temperature.

You may store it in an air-tight container, refrigerator for up to a month.

Toasting Almonds

Preheat oven to 350˚f / 175˚c. Spread the nuts in an even layer on the baking sheet or baking dish. Place into oven and roast for 5-9 mins, stirring periodically to ensure the nuts toast evenly and prevent burning. You will know they are done when the color is a few shades darker, and the aroma is fragrantly nutty. Remove from oven and allow too cool.

Roasted Apples

Reduce oven temperature to 325˚f / 160˚c. (Preheat oven to 325˚f / 160˚c if not toasting almonds) In a 9x13-inch baking dish, pour in maple syrup and vanilla. Set aside.

Peel apples, slicing in half. With a melon-baller or teaspoon, scoop out cores and seeds. Place apple halves cut side down into your prepared baking dish. Squeeze a fresh lemon over the apples, cover with aluminum foil, and place into the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. You'll know the apples are done when they are fork-tender, with a slight firmness to them. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Rough Puff Dough and Assembly

When it's time to bake, preheat oven to 400˚f / 200˚c.

Remove dough from the refrigerator, and allow rest at room temp for approx 5 mins. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle. If you have one handy, use a ruler to trim around sides to straighten edges, followed by cutting off 1" strips from each side—these strips will become your border—and place the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and back into the refrigerator to rest for 15 mins.

Once the dough has rested, attached the boarders to the base, using a little egg wash, now spread the dulce de leche onto the pie's base, staying within the border. Sprinkle toasted almond on top of the dulce de leche, followed by placing the apples, cut side up onto the pie—reserving apple liquid for glaze reduction. Brush the top of the boarders with more egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Place the completed pie back into the refrigerator to rest for another 15 mins.

Once the pie has rested, place into the oven, on the lower rack, and bake for approx. 30-35 mins. The crust should be a lovely dark golden brown, and the dulce de leche should be bubbling throughout. If the crust begins to darken before the filling is set, cover them with a border of aluminum foil to prevent it from burning. Remove pie from the oven, allowing to cool enough to where it has dulce de leche has set up slightly, before cutting it. This is best served warm, with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or even a dollop of sour cream—Enjoy!

Recipe by our friend Jase at Fox and Crane