Cranberry Apple Pie
As a Cape Codder, I’m crazy about cranberries. And “apple” was my son Lennon’s first word, so you know how we feel about them in our house! This pie is the perfect combination of tart and sweet. It is an ideal dessert to end any holiday meal. It is extremely pretty, with its tiers of fruit and deep golden crust. Look for firm, sweet apples to balance the tartness of the cranberries. I like Braeburn, Fuji, or Jonagold. To make this dessert completely refined sugar–free, double the proportions for the Single Flaky Sucanat Pie Crust recipe (page 130) and roll out as instructed below.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 9-inch pie
Ingredients
Cranberry Layer
Apple Layer
Preparation
Step 1
To make the cranberry layer, combine the cranberries, orange juice, agave nectar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the berries against the side of the pan and smoothing as much as possible. Remove from the heat and stir in the water. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Step 2
To make the apple layer, peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a large microwave-safe bowl, gently toss the apple slices with the flour mix, agave nectar, cinnamon, and salt. Microwave on high for 9 minutes, tossing gently every 3 minutes, until the juices are thickened and glossy. Remove from the microwave and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, set the oven rack in the lowest position, place a baking sheet on the rack, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Step 4
Make the Double Flaky Pie Crust as instructed on page 125, up through rolling out the bottom crust. Grease a 9-inch pie dish with a little vegetable shortening. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, flip the crust into the pie dish, pressing down with the palm of your hand and using your fingers to press into the dish around the edges, then peel off the other sheet of parchment paper. Trim the edges, patching as necessary. Prick the bottom 8 times with a fork.
Step 5
Spread the cranberry mixture evenly across the bottom crust. Spread the apple mixture over the cranberry mixture, mounding it slightly in the center.
Step 6
Roll out the second crust the same way you did the first. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper from the rolled-out top crust, and flip on top of the pie. Press down along the edges with your fingers to secure the top crust. Peel off the remaining sheet of parchment paper. Seal and crimp the edges. Then either trim and flute the edges with your thumb and forefinger or use the tines of a fork to make a final seal all the way around. Cut four 1 1/2-inch slits in the top crust, north, south, east, and west, cutting outward from the center. At this point, I often gather up the scraps of dough, roll them to 1/4 inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper, cut them into 1-inch decorative shapes such as leaves or stars with a small cookie cutter, and adorn the top of the crust. Brush the crust, including the outer edge, with the rice milk. Sprinkle evenly with the sugar.
Step 7
Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 425°F, or until the crust is turning golden; reduce the temperature to 400°F if the crust is browning too quickly. Rotate the baking sheet, decrease the temperature to 375°F, and bake for about 25 minutes longer, or until the top is a rich golden color and the fruit is beginning to bubble up through the slits. If the edges of the crust are browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil, or better yet, cover with a pie shield.
Step 8
Remove the pie from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours before cutting into wedges. I like this pie best at room temperature.
