This Apple Cranberry Pie with orange is perfect for any time during the Holiday season. I wanted an update to my traditional Apple Pie that I have made for years, and I believe this is a great option. The apples are sweet and tender, and the cranberry-orange reduction adds a bit of tang that is not overpowering, just very complimentary. The blend of spices ties the whole pie together, resulting in my new favorite fruit pie for the Holiday Season.
Assembling the pie takes no time at all, but the prep work can be time-consuming. As many times as I have made this pie, I have learned shortcuts, making the process more efficient. For example, the pie crust can be made way in advance. My recipe for Double Butter Pie Crust whips up in minutes and, if wrapped up properly, can last in the fridge for about 5-7 days or the freezer for at least 3 months. I like to make the dough up at least the day before I assemble the pie.
Preparing the Apples for Apple Cranberry Pie
Cutting the apples ahead of time is a huge time saver. I have prepared the apples 3 days prior, and they are still crisp and bright white when I need them. Peel only 2-3 apples at a time. Slice them to about 1/8th of an inch and place them into a freezer bag with a couple of splashes of lemon juice. Doing them in small batches helps reduce the time apples are in the air, reducing the apple browning. The acid from the lemon juice also helps with browning. When you have all your apples sliced, seal the freezer bag and give them a quick toss to make sure all the apples are covered. Open a corner of the bag and, using a straw, suck out the air until the bag looks like it was vacuum sealed. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Cranberry-Orange Reduction
Make the cranberry-orange reduction ahead of time. Rinse your cranberries and remove any bruised or soft ones. In a saucepan, make a simple syrup with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup orange juice. I used blood oranges because the color is beautiful, and the flavor is a bit sweeter than regular oranges. Bring to a boil and let the sugar fully dissolve. Add your 2 cups of cranberries and give a good stir.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, and after a few minutes, the cranberries will start to soften and pop. When they become tender, so use a potato masher to break up the cranberries. I like to leave the reduction a bit more on the chunky side.
Reduce the heat so that the cranberries are just simmering and let the mixture reduce and thicken. If you are making this ahead of time, let the reduction cool and store it in a container in the fridge for about a week.
While your cranberry-orange reduction is cooking, gather your dry ingredients. In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.
Apple Cranberry Pie
Let your dough sit out at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before rolling. On a well-floured surface, roll out the bottom layer and gently drape it into your baking dish. Crimp edges and cover with a tea towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Place your apples carefully in a large mixing bowl discarding any remaining lemon juice from the bag. Add a cup of the reduction to the apples and fold gently. Use any extra cranberry-orange reduction as a spread for your cheese board! Sprinkle in the dry ingredients and fold gently until both the cranberries and dry ingredients are well distributed.
Fill the Buttery Crust
Preheat your oven to 350 F. degrees. Add the apple-cranberry filling to your prepared bottom crust.
Roll out your second disk of dough on a well-floured surface to about 1/8”-1/16” thick. If you want to make a lattice top, slice the dough with a pizza cutter into strips. I varied the sizes slightly to resemble a plaid pattern.
Lay the dough slices starting from the center, working your way to the edges, leaving a gap in between.
If you want to add some texture, try braiding a few pieces. While working with the dough, keep the sliced pieces covered with a tea towel to prevent drying out. You want the dough to be flexible because you will be handling it quite a bit.
Lattice Crust Top
Flip every other dough slice back on itself in half. In the opposite direction, start laying the dough working from the middle outward. Alternate the dough you flip back with each new piece to make a lattice pattern. Trim and press the edges into the sides of the pie to secure them in place.
Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash to give a golden shine when it bakes, and cover the edges with aluminum foil to protect during baking.
Bake for about 45 minutes until bubbly and apples are tender. Uncover the edges and bake for additional 10-15 minutes or until crust and edges are golden.
Let pie cool entirely, overnight is best, before slicing. Serve with homemade whipped cream or ice cream.
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