Cranberry Apple Pie by Sabrina Miller

Cranberry Butter Crust (can easily be halved if using a crumb topping)

2 ½ cups flour

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

1 cup (or 2 sticks) unsalted butter (very cold, small cubes, or frozen stick if grating)

3 ½ T solid vegetable shortening (cut into small pieces)

5-7 T cranberry juice concentrate (can substitute with water for a plain crust)

Apple + Cranberry Filling

4-4 ½ pounds (5 big or 6-7 small/medium size) pie apples

(honeycrisp would be great, but Granny Smith are also good!)

8 oz dried cranberries

1 cup + ¼ cup sugar

1 cup water

¼ cup flour

½ t cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

¼ t salt

lemon juice

3-4 T unsalted butter, cut into small pats

Instructions . . .

1. To make the crust, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Incorporate chilled butter either by (a) cutting into ½” pieces and blending into flour mixture with a pastry blender; or (b) freeze butter in one solid piece and grate using a box grater into the flour mixture, folding with a spatula to coat butter pieces with flour. Add shortening to flour mix, blend with fork or pastry blender until mix resembles coarse crumbs. Next, add cranberry juice concentrate and mix just until the crust begins to come together. You’ll want it just moist enough to make a ball with it in your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or as long as overnight). When ready, divide crust into two portions. Roll the first into a disc and place in the bottom of a 9” pie pan (deep dish works great), allowing some excess to overhang. Roll the second half of dough and cut into 1” strips for weaving the top crust.

2. Combine the dried cranberries, water and 1-cup sugar in small saucepot. On medium heat, warm mixture and dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until thick and syrupy; most of the water will be absorbed.

3. Peel, core and slice apples, toss lightly in lemon juice to prevent browning, then set aside. Combine ¼ cup sugar with the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and then sprinkle over apples, tossing until evenly distributed.

4. Gently combine apple mixture with cranberries and evenly distribute in your pie pan. Scatter butter pats on top. Finish pie by weaving the second crust and crimping the edges together with the base crust. (Weaved crust can also be substituted with a crunchy crumble topping.)

5. Bake pie at 375 degrees F for approx 1 hour (depending on oven, you may need to reduce temp to 350 or adjust cooking time). When finished, apples should be tender when pierced. To prevent crust from burning, cover edges with aluminum foil once golden brown.

6. Allow pie to set by cooling for about 30 minutes (hard to do, but it will allow liquid to thicken once it is a bit cooler).