Cranberry Apple Pie

Irmgard's Note:

I found this recipe in an old magazine while looking for dessert ideas for our Canadian Thanksgiving this year. It immediately caught my eye. My husband liked it so much that he has requested it for Christmas. It is a little different from the other cranberry apple pies as the fruit is baked in a custard and the crust contains cream cheese. Try it, you'll love it!

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 pie

Pastry

• 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2⁄3; cup cold butter
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 3 -4 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 4 large granny smith apples , peeled,cored and thinly sliced
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Custard

• 1 egg
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze

• ½ cup red currant jelly

Directions:

1. To make the pastry, mix the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Add the butter and cream cheese and cut in with a pastry blender until the particles are very fine.
3. Stir in the water, mixing until a ball of dough forms.
4. Knead the dough 3 or 4 times on a floured surface into a smooth ball.
5. Wrap and chill 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. To make the filling, mix together the apples, cranberries and walnuts.
8. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry on a floured surface to a 13-inch circle.
9. Use the pastry to line the bottom and sides of an ungreased 10-inch pie plate.
10. Fill with the apple mixture.
11. To make the custard, beat the egg, flour, sugar, cream and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.
12. Pour the mixture evenly over the apple mixture.
13. Roll out the remaining pastry to an 11-inch circle and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips.
14. Arrange and weave a lattice over the top of the pie.
15. Fold the edge of the bottom pastry over the lattice to hold the strips in place.
16. Bake 50 to 60 minutes.
17. Heat the jelly until it bubbles.
18. Spoon the jelly evenly over the top of the pie.
19. Cool to lukewarm; cut into wedges.

Reviews

[Bruins Fan]

This review comes with one caveat, I used my own crust recipe. I had already started the pie when I saw this recipe. It is delicious! It is unusual, with the custard. The custard gives it a thickness and richness that is very nice. We ate it hot right out of the oven and it was fantastic! This would be great for holidays. It was easy to make too (well, the pie part - I can't vouch for the crust).