Parents, you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

Or just as likely, we’ve got questions and you’ve got answers.

Challenge: Family Favorites

Cranberry Apple Pie

17
Vote up!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email this article


My grandma must have baked hundreds of apple pies in her lifetime. If there was a holiday, a birthday or any celebration taking place...there was a pie nearby. This award-winning cranberry-apple pie is every bit as special as my grandma was and it's the perfect addition to any holiday table. Using an updated pie dough recipe and adding a crumb topping in addition to the traditional top crust...gives this pie a winning edge.

Cranberry Apple Pie

  • Servings: 1 slice
  • Yield: 1 9-inch pie
  • Prep Time: 40 min
  • Cooking Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

  • Pie Dough: 2/12 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 TBS sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup shortening-chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 8 TBS (1 stick) unsalted butter-chilled and cut into small pieces
  • ¼ - ½ cup cold water and vodka mixed | Add just enough liquid to bring dough together
  • Crumb Topping: 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter-softened
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • Pie Filling: 4 - 5 cups of apples-peeled and sliced ½ inch thick (Golden Delicious, Braeburn) and ½ cup rinsed and roughly chopped fresh cranberries
  • 2 TBS flour
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp cardamom
  • 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 pinch of salt
  • 2 TBS butter
  • Egg Wash: 1 egg lightly beaten + 2 tsp water + 1 TBS cream

Preparation

  1. Step 1: Make pie dough by cutting in butter and shortening into flour sugar and salt. Add liquid, adding just enough liquid to bring the crumbly dough together. Once dough forms, shape into 2 equal disks and let rest, covered, at least one hour-up to overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Step 2: Roll out 1 dough round to ¼ inch thick, fill pie plate. Crimp edges. Place prepared pie dough the refrigerator until needed.
  3. Step 3: Make crumb topping by adding flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg together with a fork. Add the softened butter to create a crumb like mixture. Set aside.
  4. Step 4: Combine dry ingredients for filling (flour,nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, pinch of salt and sugar) Set aside.
  5. Step 5: Cover the prepared apples and cranberries with the mixed dry ingredients for the filling.
  6. Step 6: Fill pie shell evenly with the spice/sugar coated apples and cranberries. Dot the apples with 2 tbsp of butter.
  7. Step 7: Cover the apple/cranberry mixture with an even layer of crumb topping.
  8. Step 8: Roll out the second dough round for top of pie. Place top crust over crumb top and vent or use leaf-shaped cut outs of dough as desired.
  9. Step 9: Using the egg wash, lightly brush pie top, only using enough egg wash to place a thin glaze over top of dough. Cover edge of pie with foil to prevent out crust from over browning.
  10. Step 10: Bake in preheated 375-degree oven, on the lowest rack for 60 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Allow to cool. TIP: Bake pie on a lined, rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.

Recipe Tags

64f60e5b5f8d608801992ae28f47c4c7802de32b

44006598c314ae2bd7ebb6703067e0d655587db1

058e7d7add662ea1d8b4e6319b27f87ee3f5610d

If using decorative cut outs to top the pie, consider using a 12-inch dinner plate to pre-cut the shapes and lightly egg wash the plate of cut outs before placing the shapes on top of the pie. A dinner plate is about the same size as the pie, so you'll have roughly the right amount of dough to cover the top of the pie.

TIP: Keep pie dough cool at all times. When working with cut-outs place the egg-washed cut outs in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to use. An off-set spatula will easily lift the dough cut-outs from the cold plate and onto the pie. Before baking the completed pie, give the whole pie a quick chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes to make sure the dough is very cool before it enters the hot pre-heated oven.

This post comes from the TODAY Food Club community, where anyone can write posts, ask questions and share advice. Learn more and join us!