Sky-High Apple-Cranberry Pie

(193)
apple-cranberry pie
Photo: Johnny Miller
Prep Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
1 9-inch pie

Crowd-pleasing apple pie achieves Paul Bunyan proportions, calling for a mountainous five pounds of apples and a batch and a half of dough. Cranberries bring a hint of tartness to the apples' familiar sweetness.

Ingredients

For the Crusts

For the Filling

  • 5 pounds heirloom baking apples, such as Arkansas Black, Carpentin, Jonathan, Knobbed Russet, or Northern Spy (about 10)

  • 1 ½ cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Salt

  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  • 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for egg wash

  • 2 tablespoons sanding sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the crusts: Roll out small pate brisee disk to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Repeat rolling with large pate brisee disk, and cut out a 12-inch circle; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate crusts until firm, about 30 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Peel and core apples. Cut each into 1/2- to 1-inch-thick wedges, and transfer to a bowl. Toss in cranberries, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

  3. Transfer filling to bottom crust; dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Fold edges under; crimp. Cut eight 2 1/2-inch vents into dough to let steam escape. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

  4. Gently brush top crust with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake pie set on a rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, 1 hour 20 minutes more. (Tent with foil if crust is browning too quickly.) Let pie cool completely in plate set on a wire rack. Pie can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Cook's Notes

As you're piling the apples in, you may think you have too many -- keep going. They elevate the top crust and will cook down. You'll need a large disk of dough for the top crust and a small one for the bottom. Make two batches of pate brisee: Resist the temptation to double the recipe (it won't work as well).

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