Apple Ring Pies

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 small Golden Delicious apples (about 150g each)
• 1 package (400 g) of chilled pie dough (2 layers)
• Premium flour for working with dough
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 squares soft caramel, cut into 4 pieces
• Sugar for sprinkling
• Special equipment: small cookie cutter or corer, 10cm diameter cookie cutter.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and melt in the microwave until softened, about 1 minute.
3. Cut the apples crosswise into round slices 0.5-1 cm thick. You only need full-size slices from the center of the apple, which will give you 4 slices from each apple, about 5 cm in diameter.Core the apples using a small round cutter or a special knife to create rings. Add the apples to the butter mixture and turn to coat thoroughly, being careful not to break the slices.
4. Unroll the pie dough and, on a floured work surface, roll each layer into a 42cm circle. Using a 10cm cookie cutter, cut 8 circles from each layer of dough (re-rolling the scraps as needed).
5. Place half the dough circles on the prepared baking sheets and brush with egg wash. Place an apple slice on each dough circle and pour the juices from the bowl into the center of the slice. Place a piece of caramel in the center of each slice.
6. Cover the apples with the remaining pastry circles and gently press the edges to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork. Make small slits in the surface of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with sugar.
7. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 18-20 minutes. Let the pies cool on the baking sheets for at least 15 minutes before serving.