We use cookies and similar technologies to improve user experience, and analyse activities and performance. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. 
Recipe Detail Page
Double-Crust Apple Cranberry Spice Pie
Holiday 2013
Pastry seems daunting but with the right technique and some courage, you can master making tender, flaky pie crusts and create impressive pies. The butter adds flavour and flakiness while the shortening and egg help with elasticity, making this pastry easier than others to handle. If the room is warm while you’re rolling the pastry, just chill the pastry again to prevent it from sticking and to avoid adding too much extra flour, which can cause pastry to become tough and dry. The filling is simple, and success only depends on using the right apples. A tart cooking apple that holds its shape and flavour when cooked is best for pies. Use Northern Spies, Crispins, Granny Smiths or Spartans. The filling will be quite mounded when raw, and though it will collapse down once cooled, it makes a nice thick slice of pie.
Serves 6 to 8
PASTRY
½ cup (125 mL) cold butter
¼ cup (60 mL) cold shortening
2½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) packed brown sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
1 egg
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
Ice water
FILLING
1/3 cup (80 mL) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2 mL) ground ginger
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice
6 tart cooking apples (about 2 lbs/1 kg)
1½ cups (375 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries(thawed if frozen)
TOPPING
1 tsp (5 mL) packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cinnamon
2 tsp (10 mL) cream (any type)
1 For pastry, cut butter and shortening into about ½-inch (1-cm) cubes and place in a bowl. Freeze for about 10 minutes or until very cold. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2 Add butter and shortening to flour mixture and use a pastry blender with a downward scutting motion, or 2 knives with 1 in each hand and cutting through the mixture in opposite directions, until butter is in very small pieces, smaller than peas, and the flour starts to clump together.
3 In a 1-cup (250-mL) liquid measuring cup, whisk egg with lemon juice. Add enough ice water to make ½ cup (125 mL) volume. Pour over flour mixture and stir with a fork until dough starts to hold together. Using your hands, gather dough and gently squeeze into a disc. Divide into 2 equal pieces. Press each into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chilled.
4 Cut a large sheet of parchment paper and place on work surface. Sprinkle a light dusting of flour over parchment. Unwrap 1 disc of pastry and place on parchment. Using a floured rolling pin, starting at the centre of the disc and working toward the edge, roll out pastry. Rotate paper or rolling pin frequently, and work from the centre toward the edge each time, using strokes in the direction of points of a compass to evenly roll pastry into an approximately 14-inch (35-cm) circle. Lift the pin as you get to the edge to prevent thin edges and lightly dust rolling pin with flour as necessary to prevent sticking (but try not to add too much flour, which makes the pastry dry).
5 Loosely roll up pastry around the rolling pin and carefully lift it over a 9-inch (23-cm) glass or ceramic pie plate, then unroll to carefully place pastry circle centred into plate. Gently lift edges of pastry and fit the pastry to the bottom of the plate, pressing gently so it is form-fitting without poking holes in the dough. Trim the edges of pastry so there is about a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border all the way around the pie plate. Place in the refrigerator while you roll remaining pastry and make the filling. Repeat with remaining disc of dough, rolling to a 12-inch (30-cm) circle. Set aside.
6 Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) and position rack in bottom third of oven.
7 For the filling, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a small bowl, stirring to blend well.
8 Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel apples and cut into quarters lengthwise. Trim out cores and stems. Cut wedges into thin slices, about ¼ inch (5 mm) thick (you should have about 6 cups/1.5 L sliced apples) and add to bowl with lemon juice, stirring to coat as you cut the apples. Stir in cranberries. Sprinkle with flour mixture and toss gently to evenly coat. Mound the filling into the pie shell, packing gently.
9 Brush edge of bottom crust lightly with water. Using a shaped cookie cutter or a knife, cut about a 2-inch (5-cm) hole from the centre of the circle for the top crust. Loosely roll up around rolling pin and unroll on top of pie with the cut-out in the centre of the pie. With the tip of a knife, poke about 5 more V-shaped vents around the top of the pie. Fold the outer edge of the top crust over the edge of the bottom crust, pinching to enclose the bottom crust and tucking the edge just inside the pie plate (this prevents any juices from spilling out of pie plate). Using your thumb and finger and a gentle twisting motion, flute all around the edge of the pie.
10 For the topping, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush top of pastry all over with cream. Place any cut-outs on top of pie to decorate, if desired, then brush with cream. Sprinkle sugar mixture through a small sieve evenly overtop.
11 Bake in bottom third of oven for 15 minutes or until pastry edge looks cooked.
12 Turn heat down to 375°F (190°C).
13 Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until juices are bubbling and thick, apples are tender and crust is evenly golden brown. Let cool completely on a rack. Cut into slices.
Serves 6 to 8
