Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Cranberry Apple Pie. It’s everyone’s favorite pie with a tart twist! In this recipe we use Honeycrisp apples, sweet and juicy with firm flesh that holds up well in the oven. For the cranberries, you have two options: whole or chopped. With whole cranberries, the filling stays pale yellow, dotted with pops of red. With chopped berries, the filling turns deep rose, infused with tart flavor in every bite.

Either way, we pre-cook the filling before adding it to the crust. This has several benefits. First, it’s a great way to break up the, sometimes daunting, task of making a double-crust pie. Now, you can make the filling in advance and save it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to use it.

Second, pre-cooking the apples solves the problem of under-cooked apples. As often happens with apple pie, when the crust is golden, the apples are still crunchy. By pre-cooking the apples, the filling and crust can finish at the same time.

Third, pre-cooking the apples solves the problem of sinking apples. Apples release juice and steam as they cook, and can shrink down to almost half their original height. The crust will either sink down along with the apples (leaving a sad, sunken pie), or the apples will sink and the crust will stay in place (leaving a large gap when you go to cut it). By precooking the apples a bit on the stove, they stay flush with the crust while baking.

Cranberry Apple Pie

Ingredients

3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 g) Kosher salt
1/2 tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 g) ground ginger
6 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, whole or chopped
1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
1/4 cup (55 g) apple cider or water
1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, cut into about 8 cubes
2 pie crusts, store-bought or homemade

For egg wash: 1 egg + 2 tsp. water, whisked together and then strained

For topping: raw sugar

For serving: vanilla ice cream

Instructions

In a large braising pan, mix together brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and ginger until well combined. Add apples, cranberries, and vanilla. Toss gently to coat the apples and berries. Add cider and butter. Cook apples over medium heat, stirring frequently, until apples and cranberries are tender, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Fit one crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Add about 1/2 of the cooled apple mixture and press down gently with a spatula (this will reduce gaps in the finished pie). Add remaining apple mixture and press down again with a spatula.
For a lattice top, cut second crust into 8 long strips. Use the strips to form a lattice design over the apples. Seal crusts by pressing together and tucking them under to form an even edge. Use your fingers to create a scalloped edge. Place pie in freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 415 degrees F (212 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove pie from freezer and place on baking sheet. Brush crust with strained egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake pie at 415 degrees F (212 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and continue baking for 40-50 minutes, or until top is golden, filling is bubbling, and apples are very tender.
Cool for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

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