I am presently sitting in front of the fire, watching the snow falling outside. It is such a picturesque view looking out into my backyard forest. Even the deer are out this morning frolicking in the new snowfall. I completed my holiday decorations as soon as Thanksgiving was complete, and it is now time to start my Christmas baking.

Apples have a fairly extensive range of flavors depending on the varieties you choose, from quite sweet to much more tart. Some varieties are better for baking while others are best simply for snacking on raw.

When buying apples, try to buy ones that are in season as apples lose their flavor, juiciness and crispness when kept in cold storage too long. Choose firm, smooth, and shiny skinned apples that feel heavy when you pick them up. Look for apples that are fresh smelling with a full apple aroma.
Apples will continue to ripen after they have been picked, so once you buy them and bring them home, keep them in a well ventilated bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. Since cranberries have such a short season, I always buy extra bags and freeze them to use in my baking in the future when fresh cranberries are no longer available.

I bake a lot more than usual during the holidays, although this year, since we won’t be hosting holiday parties, I will be baking less than expected. This unique fruit pie is one that I have been working on recently. It was a hit with everyone in the family and would be perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or really, any special meal.

The cranberries in this pie add a tart flavor while the sweetness of the apples temper the tartness just enough. Who knew cranberries and apples would be such a perfect combination? I also love streusel toppings on my pies, so I used a crumb topping for this pie that combined oats and almonds.

To ensure that the apples thoroughly cook, I diced them fairly small. If you find that the crust browns too much while baking, cover with foil. This pie is best enjoyed at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of cinnamon-spiced whipped cream.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

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Cranberry Apple Crumb Pie

Yield: Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

A unique flavor combination creates a not too sweet holiday pie.

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Ingredients

Pie Crust:

• 1 1/4 Cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 8 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 Cup Ice Water
• 1 Teaspoon Vinegar

Filling:

• 3 Cups Fresh Cranberries
• 2 Cups Apples, Peeled, Cored, & Cut Into Small Dice
• 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Grated Orange Zest
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

Topping:

• 8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 Cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
• 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and stir to mix.
2. Mix together the ice water and vinegar in a small bowl and stir to mix.
3. Cut the butter into cubes and use a pastry cutter to cut butter into the flour mixture until you have pea sized pieces.
4. Drizzle in the water, stirring gently until the dough comes together.
5. Gather the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
6. While the dough is refrigerating, make the crumb topping and filling.
7. Melt the butter.
8. Place the rest of the ingredients into a bowl, then drizzle the butter on top.
9. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.
10. Place the cranberries into a food processor and pulse a few times until chopped.
11. Place the cranberries into a bowl with the rest of the filling apart from the butter, and toss to mix well.
12. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the refrigerated dough into a 12-inch round that is 1/8th of an inch thick.
13. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan leaving a 2-inch overhang.
14. Crimp the crust around the edges and use a sharp knife to trim.
15. Place crust in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 365 degrees F.
16. Remove the crust from the freezer and dump the filling in, spreading it evenly.
17. Top the filling with the oat and almond crumble covering the fruit well.
18. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbling, about an hour. (If the crust browns too much, cover with foil.)
19. Let the pie cool to room temperature.
20. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 24gProtein: 3g

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