Thicky-Thick Caramel Pie

Yes, caramel. In a pie. This is the most decadent and indulgent dessert I have ever made. The rich caramel is thick and sweet, creating a perfect balance with the mounds of aerated, vanilla-spiked cream and the crumbly crunch of its graham cracker crust.

Before making this, I had never even heard of—yet alone tasted—a caramel pie.  The pictures I saw were so enticing, I just knew it had to be good. I’m not a huge caramel or even dulce de leche fan, but the simplicity of the three layers of crust, caramel, and cream transcended the singular ingredients into a melty and mouthwatering mélange.

This pie is easy to make. Plus, you can cheat and buy a graham cracker crust instead of make one. I opted to make one. Instead of using a food processor, I just pounded the graham crackers until they were almost completely crumbled. I then mixed in the brown sugar and melted butter, patted it into my pie dish, and baked it.

Next, I baked the sweetened condensed milk in a casserole dish that I set in a large pan with water (a water bath).  I stirred the condensed milk every 30 minutes, and added water to the larger pan when needed.  Once the condensed milk transformed into a bubbly, brown caramel, I removed the dish from the oven and scraped the caramel into the pie crust. (Don’t worry—the bubbles will smooth out as the pie cools!) I then let it set in the refrigerator overnight.  The next morning, I whipped up some heavy cream and mounded it on top.

The whipped cream may very well be the most important part of the dish.  Don’t be afraid to mound it high, and serve the extra cream with the dessert. Otherwise, you will end up with too much caramel and not enough cream!   

This dessert pairs perfectly with coffee. And you may want to go light on the cream and sugar since the pie has so much!