Apple, Cranberry, and Quince Pie
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First things first, if you live in the United States please VOTE today! Make your voice heard and exercise your rights people. It feels good and you might even get a fun sticker to wear. Then, maybe make a pie to calm your nerves while you wait for the election returns to roll in tonight. You could also just bookmark this one for Thanksgiving and go to your neighborhood watering hole for a pint instead. I won't judge.
Apple, Cranberry and Quince Pie
The combination of sweet apples, tart cranberries, and floral quince is a new favorite of mine and this pie would be a perfect addition to any holiday table. If you can't find quince, just replace it with another apple, but I encourage you to seek it out and give it a try!
For the Crust
This crust comes to you from Brandi Henderson of I made that! and The Pantry at Delancey
where she teaches a class called "How to be a Pie Ninja" and she is not messing around. This
crust is made with a technique called fraisage which creates long sheets of buttery flakes
throughout the dough instead of little pockets of butter.
12 ounces pastry flour
8 ounces cold butter
4 ounces ice water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Mix the flour and salt together, then pour the whole lot on a large cutting board or countertop.
2. With a bench scraper, cut in half of the butter until it is the size of lima beans, then cut in the
other half of the butter until it is the size of quarters. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water.
3. Using your fingers, flick the water on to the butter flour mixture and gently fold it in with your
bench scraper. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough
and squeeze it together without it falling apart.
4. Then, you smear the butter into the dough. With the heel of your hand push a section of the
dough down and away from you. Scrape your sheet off of the board and place it in a bowl to
the side. Repeat until you have worked through all of the dough, pushing it down and away
from you in sections. Once you've gone through all of the dough gently remove it from the bowl,
press it together, then split it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and form into a disk.
Chill the dough for at least one hour before using. I like to chill mine overnight.
For the Filling
4 large apples (about 2.5 lbs) I like mutsus, jonathans, golden delicious, and cortlands
1 large quince
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
zest and juice of one small lemon
zest and juice of half of an orange
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
Peel and core the the apples then cut them into 1/2'' chunks. Peel and core the quince and cut it into 1/4'' pieces. Place the apples, quince and cranberries in a large bowl then add lemon
and orange juices and zests, stir gently to combine. Add the rest of the filling ingredients (except
the butter) and stir gently to combine.
For the Topping
1 egg, beaten
A few teaspoons of coarse sugar like turbinado or light demerara
To Assemble and Bake
Preheat oven to 400º
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12’’ circle 1/4''-1/8'' thick
and place it into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie.
2. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/4''-1/8'' thick and place it in the
fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
3. Fill the prepared pie shell with the apple mixture, dot with the 2 tablespoons butter, and top
with the second crust, trim the edges so there is about 1/2’’ of overhang then crimp the edges
and cut a few vents in the top. If you'd like to make a lattice top (like the pie pictured), here is a really great step-by-step slideshow from
.
4. If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15min
before you bake it. When you are ready to bake brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and
sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.
5. Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15 minutes on the lowest rack
of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 350º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is
deep golden brown and the fruit juices bubble. For extra shine, glaze the pie with another coat
of egg wash 10 minutes before you take it out of the oven, but keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
