Individual Caramel Apple Pies

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust:

• Combine flour, salt and sugar with a light whisk.
• Add the shortening. With a dough blender or your hands,work the shortening into the dry ingredients untilit's in pea-size pieces.
• Add cold water and milk 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and the dough comes together.
• Gather dough into a ball and then shape it into a flattened round on a floured surface.
• Divide the crust into 4 sections. Roll out each section to 1/4" thick and use a 5" circle cookie cutter to cut out individual pie crusts. Repeat with each section of the crust until you get 12 -15 individual crusts.
• Place each individual crust into cupcake tin and push down middle of circle. Push sides of crust to the side of the tin.
• Make individual pie weights to go in each crust. Cut 6"x6" squares of aluminum foil and place 15-20 dried kidney beans in each one. Bring all four corners of the aluminum foil together above the beans and twist. (Shown below)
• Bake crusts with pie weights in them for 10-12 minutes.
• Take pie weights out and put cupcake tin back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Take pie crusts out of cupcake tin and let cool.

For the filling:

• Peel and chop apples into 1" bite size pieces.
• Put apples in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. Dissolve any crystals forming on the side with a wet pastry brush.
• Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high.
• At this point do not stir the mixture directly. Now and then, using the saucepan handle, give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute or so.
• After 3-4 minutes the mixture will turn from a light amber to medium amber and then finally to a dark reddish brown color. Once the mixture starts to smoke, add the butter and heavy cream. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine.
• Add half of the caramel to the the apples and mix until mix until all the apples are completely coated in the caramel.
• Place individual pie crusts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Fill each individual pie crust with a heaping amount of apples, then add a small amount of caramel on top (use 1/2 of remaining caramel).

For the crumble:

• In a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt.
• In a small bowl, melt butter.
• Add melted butter to dry ingredients and mix until ingredients resembles a crumble.
• Place crumble on top of each individual pie.
• Bake on sheet pan for 25-30 minutes, and set aside to cool.
• Once cooled, add a caramel drizzle with the left over caramel.