Cranberry Custard Meringue Pie Food

CRANBERRY CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Add the flour, sugar and salt to a food processor. Process a few times to combine. While pulsing, add the cubes of butter. Keep pulsing until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons of the water and process again a few times. Add more water until the dough starts to come together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Shape into a round and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and roll out into a large round, about 12 inches. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, fold over the sides and use a fork to press a design into the edges.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until uniform in color and no egg white is visible. Whisk in the sugar mixture until smooth. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and orange zest and whisk to combine. Add the cranberries to the bottom of the pie crust and pour the custard over the top.
• Bake until the custard is set with a slight wobble in the center, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the assembly: Sprinkle the orange slices with the sugar and use to decoratively garnish the pie before serving at room temperature or chilled.

CRANBERRY CUSTARD MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges. Line pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. , In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange zest, 1/2 cup sugar, water, salt and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes. Combine 4 teaspoons cornstarch and orange juice until smooth; stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside., In another small saucepan, heat 3/4 cup sugar and 1-3/4 cups milk until bubbles form around sides of pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining cornstarch and milk. Whisk in egg yolks until blended. Add a small amount of hot milk mixture; return all to the pan, whisking constantly. , Whisk vigorously over medium heat as mixture begins to thicken (mixture will become very thick). Bring to a boil; whisk 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer custard to crust; spread evenly with reserved cranberry mixture., Add cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread meringue over hot filling, sealing edges to crust., Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight.

CRANBERRY CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Lay 1 sheet of pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Lightly beat 1 egg and brush some on the dough, then place the second sheet of pie dough directly on top. Roll out the double layer of dough into a 12-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Brush the edge with more beaten egg. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until lightly golden around the edge, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the bottom of the crust is dry, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Roughly chop the cranberries and combine with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl. Spread in the cooled crust. Whisk the remaining 2 eggs, the heavy cream, flour and the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl until smooth; pour over the cranberries.
• Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CRANBERRY CURD PIE WITH MERINGUE TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven according to the pie-dough package instructions for "Baked Shell." Unroll the pie dough, fit it into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork and bake as directed. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Separate 4 of the eggs, reserving the egg whites for the meringue. Add the egg yolks, remaining 2 whole eggs, orange zest and juice, salt, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the jellied cranberry sauce to a medium pot. Add the butter, set the pot over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the butter is melted and the curd has thickened and reached a temperature of 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture into a large bowl, then pour into the cooled pie crust. Bake until the curd is just starting to set but still jiggly in the center, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Let the pie cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until the curd is chilled and completely set, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
• When ready to serve, make the meringue. Beat the reserved 4 egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream of tartar and then gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, a spoonful at a time. Whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is glossy and holds a stiff peak when the whisk is lifted, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Dollop the meringue over the pie in an even layer. Use a kitchen torch if desired to brulee the top.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the crumbs, butter and sugar. Scrape into a 9-inch glass pie plate and press evenly across the bottom and sides. Bake until the crust just begins to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• To make the curd, put the cranberries and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Heat until the cranberries pop, about 5 minutes. Purée in a food processor and strain through a sieve. Return to the pan, add the butter and sugar and heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.
• Whisk the yolks until smooth. Very slowly whisk in the hot cranberry mixture. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens a bit, about 5 minutes. (Do not allow to boil, or the eggs will scramble.) Set aside.
• To make the filling, place the cranberries, sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Boil just until the sugar melts. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Position a rack in the top third of the oven. Have the curd and filling very hot. (Reheat the curd gently, stirring, to avoid scrambling the eggs.)
• To make the meringue, put the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small saucepan. Stir in 1/3 cup water. Place over medium heat and stir until the mixture boils and becomes translucent. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until fluffy. Slowly add remaining sugar. Reduce speed to medium and add cornstarch mixture a tablespoon at a time. Beat just until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks. (Do not overbeat.) Fold in the dried cranberries.
• Pour off any liquid from the filling and spread it in the pie shell. Top it with the cranberry curd. Add the meringue, covering the filling completely and making little decorative peaks. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake until meringue peaks are nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool before serving or refrigerating.

CRANBERRY-MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Add butter and sugar; pulse to combine. Firmly press mixture into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze 10 minutes. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Filling: Meanwhile, combine cranberries, orange juice, 1/2 cup water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries burst and are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Press mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, scraping back of sieve to get all of pulp (you should have about 1 3/4 cups pulp and liquid); discard solids. Return mixture to pan; stir in sugar and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until dissolved. Whisk in butter.
• In a heatproof bowl, whisk together yolks and whole egg, then gradually whisk in half of hot cranberry mixture. Add egg mixture back to pan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and coating the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. Strain through sieve (to remove any bits of cooked egg) into tart crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of curd and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. (Tart can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated up to 2 days.)
• Topping: When ready to serve, whisk together egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over (but not in) a pot of simmering water until hot and sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a mixer bowl and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Whisk in vanilla.
• Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large petal tip (such as Wilton 127D) or other decorative tip. To create a wreath, hold bag so wider part of tip faces away from you and bag is almost perpendicular to tart (about 2 inches in from edge, and at a 45 degree angle to it). Press on bag, holding it in one place for a few seconds, then lift up slightly and pull toward you, creating an elongated dollop angled toward edge of tart.
• Repeat, starting at the same point but angled toward center of tart. Continue to repeat around edge of tart to create wreath shape. (You can also dollop all of meringue over top of tart and create swoops with the back of a spoon.) Brown meringue with a kitchen torch or under broiler, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Finished tart is best eaten the same day, but can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1day.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Place cranberries in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. , In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries and next seven ingredients. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Keep warm., In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Spoon warm filling into pastry shell. , Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing to crust. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour. Chill, covered, for at least 4 hours.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Combine cranberries, one cup of sugar, cran-apple juice and salt in a large saucepan.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat; stirring occasionally, until cranberries "pop".
• Pour the cranberries through a mesh strainer and discard skins/solids.
• Return the drained mix to the saucepan and add the cornstarch and water.
• Stir well over medium-high heat and then add ginger.
• Bring this mixture to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from the heat after 2 minutes and add the butter and vanilla, mixing well.
• Pour this mixture into your pre-baked pie crust.
• Prepare your merinuge by beating the egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed with an electric mixer until they become foamy. Add the 1/3 cup of sugar a teaspoonful at a time until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (about 4 minutes).
• Add the lime rind and beat slowly until just blended.
• Cover the cranberry mixture with the meringue and sealing to the edge of the pie crust.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until meringue is a light golden brown.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
• To prepare crust: Stir flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in oil and butter with a fork until well blended and crumbly (it should look like wet sand). Using the back of a spoon, firmly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust until it just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. (Keep the oven on for Step 4.).
• To prepare filling: Meanwhile, combine cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the cranberries are beginning to break down, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the juice. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar into the juice until combined. Whisk in whole egg and 3 egg yolks. Return the cranberry mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and vigorously, until it thickens and just starts to bubble as you are stirring, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the warm filling into the warm crust. Set aside while you prepare the meringue topping.
• To prepare topping: Beat the 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and pinch of salt and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Very slowly add 1/3 cup sugar, beating constantly, until the mixture holds stiff, shiny peaks. Beat in vanilla. Spoon the meringue over the filling, then gently spread to the edges of the crust. Make peaks in the meringue with the back of a spoon or a small off-set spatula. Bake until the top is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool the pie on a wire rack to room temperature, at least 3 hours, before serving.
• TIPS & NOTES: Bake with white whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, and whole-wheat pastry flour, milled from soft wheat and containing less gluten. Both provide the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Find them in large supermarkets, natural-foods stores and online at bobsredmill.com and kingarthurflour.com. Store in the freezer.

MINI CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 4 1/8-inch fluted rounds, and fit into cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin (not nonstick). Pierce bottoms with tines of a fork. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Line each shell with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Return to oven; bake until bottoms are just turning golden, 5 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks; let cool 5 minutes. Remove shells from tin; let cool completely.
• Bring 2 cups cranberries, 1 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 5 minutes. Pour through a coarse sieve, then a fine sieve; discard solids. (You should have about 1 3/4 cups; if you have less, add water).
• Bring strained cranberry juice, 1/4 cup sugar, the zests, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and remaining 1 1/4 cups cranberries to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are soft but have not burst, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir cornstarch, blood orange juice, and 1/4 cup water in a bowl; whisk into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 1 minute. Divide among prepared shells. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour (up to overnight).
• Preheat broiler. Put egg whites and remaining 1/4 cup sugar into the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch. Attach to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to high. Add cream of tartar; beat until medium, glossy peaks form. Divide the meringue evenly among pies.
• Set pies under broiler until tops are browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute.