Lilianna's Caramel Apple Mini Pies

I am always looking for ways to get my kid(s) involved with cooking. My gran had me up on the counter stirring batter and dumping ingredients when I was knee high to a bug's eye, and I loved it. Lily's 3 so knives are a no-no, but stirring and dumping are well within her skill set.

I went with her class to the apple orchard last week and have been staring at the apples she picked with her own little hands ever since wondering what we were gonna do with them. Eat them as is and enjoy their naturally crisp and slightly tart taste? Make apple sauce? Or perhaps a pie.... yep, a pie.

The apples (as I said) were a little tart (for a child's palate) so I thought what better to add to them than a healthy dose of caramel! I had some mini tart shells in the freezer so I pulled them out cause I would have lost her interest completely if I had to make pie dough, and their tiny size is perfect for little ones.

I'm going to do this post a little different cause I went a little picture happy...

The ingredients*: apples, tart shells, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar, caramel dip (* not pictured, butter, flour & egg, cause I'm not used to taking this kind of picture)

When I told Lily we were going to make apple pies this is what she did. She was very proud that she made them all by herself.

I chopped up the apples and she put them in the pot. She also helped me line up the tart shells on a baking sheet and fill them with the apple mixture, and then she watched them closely while they cooked.

Lilianna's Caramel Apple Mini Pies

5 apples, peeled, cored & chopped into small pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
splash of water
1/4 c. caramel apple dip
12 frozen tart shells
1 egg

Instructions:

1. Peel, core and chop apples and put them in a small pot.
2. Add spices, butter, sugar, flour and mix. Add a splash of water and put on the stove at medium temp. and cook until the apples are tender.
3. Add caramel apple dip to the cooked apples and stir to mix.
4. Fill 6 of the tart shells with the apple mixture.
5. Beat egg with a wee bit of water and brush rims of the filled tart shells.
6. Remove the remaining 6 tarts from their aluminum plates and invert over top the filled tarts pressing the edges together to seal.
7. Make a little slit in the top of the pie with a knife and brush tops with more of the egg/water mixture.
8. Bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

Serve warm with cinnamon whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Makes 6 mini pies.

enjoy cooking with your kids!
Amanda