Brandied Cranberry Fruit Pie Recipes

CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Add the flour, cranberries, sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter, pulsing until you have pea-sized pieces. Mix together the vodka and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the vodka mixture to the flour mixture and pulse, adding more of the vodka mixture a tablespoon at a time as needed, until the dough comes together when gently pinched (you may not need to add all of it). Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a disc and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Put the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 1/4-inch-thick round. Use the rolling pin to help guide the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Press gently into the corners of the pie plate and crimp the edges decoratively. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Arrange an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Place a piece of parchment on top of the dough and fill with pie weights or baking beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment and pie weights and bake until golden around the edges and light golden in the center, an additional 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.
• For the filling: Add 2 tablespoons triple sec to a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over top; set aside.
• Add the cranberries, orange zest and juice, ginger, 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons triple sec to a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the cranberries begin to pop and break down, about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture until completely dissolved and combined. Transfer the mixture to a blender and let cool slightly, then puree until very smooth. Pour into a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• When the mixture has cooled, add the heavy cream to a stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high, streaming in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar slowly, until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture to lighten it. Then fold the cranberry mixture into the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain. Add the filling to the pie crust. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• For the decorations: Before serving, beat the egg white together with 1 tablespoon water. Toss the cranberries in the egg white mixture, then drain completely using a wide-mesh strainer. Put the sugar in a medium bowl, add the cranberries and toss to coat completely. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to dry.
• Pile whipped cream in the center of the pie, top with the cranberries and sprinkle with the orange peel strips.

APPLE AND DRIED CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Using on/off turns, blend in enough ice water by tablespoonfuls to form moist clumps. Gather dough together and divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks; wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• For filling:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Combine apples, dried cranberries, flour, brown sugar, lemon juice, nutmeg and cloves in large bowl. Toss to blend.
• Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Spoon filling into crust, mounding slightly in center. Dot with butter. Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Drape dough over filling. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Press top crust and bottom crust together at edge to seal. Fold edge under; crimp edge decoratively. Cut four 2-inch-long slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake pie 45 minutes. Cover crust edges with foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake pie until crust is golden, apples are tender and juices bubble thickly through slits, about 55 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack. Cut into wedges.