Apple Cranberry Pie Cooks Illustrated Food

APPLE CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse cornmeal mixed with pea-sized bits of cold butter. (If the butter gets too soft, refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Use a fork to stir in the egg and water mixture until the dough just comes together. (If the dough is dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more cold water.) Divide the dough into two equal-sized disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.
• For the filling: Peel, halve and core the apples. Cut each half into 4 wedges and place in a bowl with the lemon juice and cranberries, tossing to combine. Add the sugar and toss again to combine evenly.
• Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low, cooking until the apples soften and release most of their juices and the cranberries have burst, about 7 minutes.
• Strain the apple mixture into a colander set over the bowl, shaking it to collect as much of the juice as possible. Pour the liquid back into the skillet, add the cinnamon and ginger, and simmer over medium heat until thickened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Return the reduced juice and the apple mixture to the bowl and toss to recombine. Chill the filling until it cools completely, at least an hour and up to 2 days.
• To assemble the pie: On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk into an 11- to 12-inch circle. Lay each dough circle between two pieces of parchment or wax paper on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
• Place a baking sheet on a rack positioned in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish with one of the dough discs and trim it to leave a 1/2-inch overhang on all sides. Stir the cornstarch into the filling and add it to the pan.
• Use a chef's knife, pizza cutter or fluted dough cutter to cut the second round into 1/2-inch thick strips. Lay strips of dough, evenly spaced, across the entire pie. Weave more strips of dough perpendicular through the previous strips to make a lattice or basket weave design across the entire pie. Trim the excess ends from the strips of dough. Pinch the bottom crust edge and lattice edge together, and flute the edge as desired. Brush the surface of the dough with egg and then sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Bake the pie on the preheated baking sheet until the crust is golden, 50 to 60 minutes. If the edges begin to brown too fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil. Let the pie cool 1 hour before serving. Once completely cooled, the pie keeps well at room temperature (covered) for 24 hours, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.

APPLE-CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• To make crust, follow directions for Pumpkin Pie crust. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll pie dough out into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough in a 9-inch pie pan and refrigerate while you make the filling and topping.
• To make filling, mix all filling ingredients together in a medium bowl.
• To make topping, mix all topping ingredients together in a small bowl. The topping mixture should clump when pressed together.
• Add filling to cold pie crust and scatter topping all over the filling. Bake at 400 degrees until the juice in the center of the pie is bubbling, about 1 hour. If the crust or topping becomes too dark, cover the pie loosely with foil.
• Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely before serving.

MOM'S CRANBERRY APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Fit a pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish and arrange sliced apples into crust. Spread cranberries over apples. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle mixture over cranberries. Distribute butter pieces over pie filling. Place remaining crust over filling, crimp both crusts together, and cut several slits into top crust to vent steam.
• Bake until pie is browned and fruit filling is bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

APPLE-CRANBERRY PIE (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing berries against side of pot, until berries have completely broken down and juices have thickened to jamlike consistency (wooden spoon scraped across bottom should leave clear trail that doesn't fill in), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in water, and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch in large microwave-safe bowl; add apples and toss to combine. Microwave on high power, stirring with rubber spatula every 3 minutes, until apples are just starting to turn translucent around edges and liquid is thick and glossy, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• While fillings cool, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs plate in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer cooled cranberry mixture to dough-lined pie plate and spread
• into even layer. Place apple mixture on top of cranberries, mounding slightly in center; push down any sharp apple edges.
• Roll second disk of dough on generously floured work surface (up to 1/4 cup) to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll over pie, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side.
• Using kitchen shears, cut evenly through both layers of overhanging dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with tines of fork to seal. Brush top and edges of pie with egg white and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Using sharp paring knife, cut four 1 1/2-inch slits in top of dough in cross pattern.
• Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake until top is light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate baking sheet, and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack to cool at least 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

LAYERED APPLE CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt to boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing berries to the side of the pan with a spoon, until berries have completely broken down and juices have thickened to jam-like consistency, 10-12 minutes (a spoon scraped across bottom leaves a clear trail that does not fill in).
• Remove from heat, stir in water and cool to room temp, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt and the cornstarch; add apples and toss to combine.
• Microwave apples on high power, stirring every 3 minutes, until apples are just beginning to turn translucent at the edges and liquid is thick and glossy, 10-14 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• While fillings cool, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of your piecrusts. Transfer cranberry filling to crust lined pie plate and spread in an even layer. Place apple mixture on top of cranberry layer, mounding slightly in the center. Press down any sharp apple edges.
• Position second piecrust over apples, trim the overhang and flute the edges to seal. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 1 TBSP sugar. With a sharp kife, cut (4) 1-inch slits in top of dough, forming a cross.
• Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake until top is light golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temp to 375F, rotate baking sheet and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown, 25-30 minutes longer.

APPLE-CRANBERRY CRISP PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Prepare pie crust in 9" pie pan.
• In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients but the fruit and mix well.
• Add fruit, mix, and spoon into crust.
• In small bowl, combine all topping ingredients and mix with fork or pastry blender until crumbly.
• Sprinkle over filling.
• Bake at 425F for 35-45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.
• Cover edge of crust with foil after 15 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.
• Enjoy!

APPLE CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Position oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the dried cranberries, sugar, flour and allspice. Mix in the apples, brandy and vanilla. Place bottom crust into a 9 inch round pie pan so that it hangs 1 inch over the edges. Pour filling into the crust and cover with top crust. Seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top using a small knife.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, or until apples are tender and crust is golden.

CARAMEL APPLE CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Press one of the pie pastries into a 9-inch pie plate; reserve the remaining pastry.
• Pour the lemon juice into a container that large enough for the apples and fill halfway with cold water. Peel and slice the apples into the lemon water; set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cornstarch to form a paste. Stir in 2 tablespoons of water along with the vanilla extract, 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg; bring to a simmer. Drain the apples and add them to the sugar mixture along with the cranberries. Cook and stir 5 minutes; remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Pour the fruit into the pie plate and press on the top crust. Stir together 1 tablespoon of white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon; sprinkle over the pie.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until the top crust is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.