• Prepare the deep dish pie crust and refrigerate until needed.

To prepare the caramel sauce:

• Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly.  Be sure to cover all parts of the bottom of the pan with the wire whisk to prevent scorching.  Stir until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 244°F on a candy thermometer or firm ball stage.  Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.  Pour into a glass container and cool for later use.

To prepare the praline pecans:

• Melt butter in a small pan on medium-low heat.  Add pecans and sugar and stir ingredients until you start to smell roasted nuts.  Remove from heat and spread on a piece of parchment paper to cool.  Crumble into pieces and set aside.

To prepare the apple filling:

• Cook all filling ingredients in a large heavy bottom saucepan on medium heat. Cook until apples are cooked halfway.  Remove from heat and stir in ¾ cup homemade caramel until melted.

To prepare the sticky toffee pudding:

• For the filling mix all ingredients just until blended. Set aside.

To prepare the crumb topping:

• To make the crumb topping mix all ingredients together by hand or with a pastry blender until fine and crumbly.

To assemble the pie:

• Spread sticky toffee pudding mixture on bottom of crust.  Add apple mixture over the toffee pudding.  Sprinkle with crumb topping.  Bake in preheated 400°F oven for one hour or until knife easily slides into center of pie with no resistance.  If pie becomes too brown before done, turn down oven to 350°F to finish baking and cover with foil completely.
• Top with homemade caramel and praline pecans and serve.