Ruby Apple Pie

Give your holiday pie color and flavor with a mix of cranberries and apples. Unlike whole berry pies, this recipe features puree made from fresh cranberries for flavor in every bite. You can decorate the top with lattice strips or pastry cut-outs or simply use the praline topping. I include make-ahead directions for holiday baking.
Prep pastry: 20 minutes Prep filling & topping: 50 minutes Bake: 43 to 47 minutes Bake at: 400°F Yield: 6 servings Pan: 6-inch pie plate Difficulty: intermediate

Ingredients

Pie Pastry

  • Double crust unbaked 6-inch Pie Pastry (see "Tips")
  • Melted butter to brush the top crust before baking (optional)
  • Non-Stick cooking spray

Apple and Cranberry Filling

  • 1 3/4 cup (6 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 pound Golden Delicious apples (3 cups peeled, cored, and sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup (142 grams) dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see "Tips")
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) all-purpose flour

Praline Topping

  • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (26 grams) dark brown sugar
  • Small pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

Directions

Using my double crust 6-inch Basic Pie Pastry recipe, prepare the dough and refrigerate the disks for the pie plate and top crust until needed. Follow the directions below to finish preparation.

Making the Apple and Cranberry Filling

  • In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the cranberries and water to a simmer and then cook on low until the cranberries burst, about 7 minutes. Press the cranberries through a wire mesh sieve into a bowl, discard the pulp, and return the puree to the cooled saucepan.
  • While the cranberries are cooking, peel, core and slice the apples to 1/4-inch thickness. Place the apple slices in a medium bowl and mix with the lemon juice.
  • Add the dark the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and flour to the cranberry puree in the saucepan and stir together. Add the apple slices to the cranberry mixture and stir. Turn on the heat and bring the filling to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the filling to a bowl; cover and chill until needed.

Making the Praline Topping

  • Finely chop the pecans and set aside.
  • Add the flour, dark brown sugar, and salt to a small bowl and whisk together. Cut the butter into 1/4-inch pieces and add to the flour mixture. Rub the ingredients together with your fingers until the butter is a mix of large and small pieces.
  • Stir the pecans into the flour mixture; cover and chill until needed.

Finishing the Pie Pastry

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400°.
  • Remove the dough disks from the refrigerator and let them warm on the counter for 10 minutes until malleable.
  • Roll out the bottom crust to 1/8-inch thickness and line the pie plate.
  • Roll out the small disk to 1/4-inch thickness and make 8 lattice strips or decorative cut-outs.

Assembling the Pie

  • Spoon the filling into the pie plate and mound in the center.
  • Spread the topping evenly over the pie.
  • Arrange the lattice strips or cut-outs on top. Brush the fluted edge of the pastry and lattice strips or cut-outs with melted butter, if desired.

Baking the Pie

  • Bake the pie in a preheated 400°F oven for 43 to 47 minutes in the lower third of the oven until the crust is brown and the filling begins to bubble. To prevent spillage, place the pie plate on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil.
  • When it is done, remove the pie to a wire rack to cool.
  • Serve the pie at room temperature or cover and chill until needed. Leftover pie slices freeze well and can be thawed in the refrigerator.

Make-Ahead Directions

  • 2 days ahead: Make the pie dough. Wrap well and freeze the small disk used for lattice strips or cut-outs. Roll out the large disk and line the pie plate, fluting the edges; wrap the pie plate and freeze.
  • 1 day ahead: Make the pie filling and topping; cover each and chill. Take the pie dough out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator in the evening.
  • Day needed: Roll out the small piece of dough for the top and cut up as desired. Add the filling and then the topping to the pie plate. Arrange the lattice or cut-outs on top. Bake as directed.
  • If you prefer, start 3 days ahead and make the pie 1 day before needed. Allow the refrigerated pie to come to room temperature before serving.

Tips

  • If you do not want to go to the trouble of making lattice strips or cut-outs, the Praline Topping is sufficient. See my 6-inch Basic Pie Pastry Recipe for single crust directions.
  • 1 pound of Golden Delicious apples equals 2 apples.
  • You can use scant 1 teaspoon apple pie spice in place of the individual spices.
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