Apple, Spiced Plum & Cranberry Pie
Makes:
one 9-inch (23 cm) pie
Serves:
8 to 10
Prep Time:
25 minutes, plus cooling
Cook Time:
75 minute
An apple pie is a staple recipe, but now and again you want to give your classic apple pie a little flair, especially around holiday time. Adding spiced plums and cranberries lends a sparkle of bright colour and an aromatic spice flavour, and the pectin in cranberries helps set the filling so you get clean slices every time. Customize the top crust of your pie according to your mood: fully covered, lattice or decorated with pastry cut-outs.
NOTES: The pie will keep, loosely wrapped, in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Classic Pie Dough, chilled
- 3 cups (400 g) peeled and sliced baking apples (about 3 apples), such as Honeycrisp, Spartan or Crispin
- 1 cup (100 g) fresh or frozen, thawed cranberries
- 1 cup (250 mL) Spiced Plums
- ⅔ cup (140 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp (12 g) regular rolled oats
- Medium egg wash
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pull the pie dough from the fridge 30 minutes before rolling. Dust a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate with flour and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
As the pie bakes, the bottom crust absorbs the flour that was sprinkled on the bottom of the pie plate, making it easier to remove clean slices because the pastry won’t stick to the bottom. This is preferred over greasing the pie plate, which could cause the pastry to slide down the pan as it bakes.
Step 2
Toss the apples, cranberries and spiced plums together (including any plum liquid) in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.
Step 3
Roll out the first disc of dough on a lightly floured surface to a circle just less than ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Line the pie plate with the pastry, leaving the edges untrimmed. Sprinkle the oats over the pastry and then spoon the fruit into the crust.
The oats on the bottom piece of pastry absorb the fruit juices as the pie bakes, which helps to prevent a soggy bottom to your pie. The oats also completely disappear as they thicken up those juices.
Step 4
Roll out the second disc of dough to the same thickness. You have a few top-crust options:
Whole crust: Place the sheet of rolled pastry over the fruit filling and use scissors to snip openings in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Pinch the top and bottom layers of the pastry together, trim away large overhanging pieces and tuck and crimp the outside edge.
Lattice top: Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut long strips about ½ inch (1.2 cm) wide (you should have between 12 and 16 strips). Place half of the strips parallel to each other over the fruit, leaving ½ inch (1.2 cm) between them. Starting at one edge, gently lift alternating strips of pastry, folding them halfway back. Set a new strip of pastry beside the folds and perpendicular to them. Unfold the original strips over the newly laid one. Lift the opposite alternating strips and fold them back as far as they can go (to the edge of the newly laid strip). Set a second perpendicular strip beside the first one and then unfold the original ones. Repeat this technique, moving first toward one side of the pie shell and then the other, until the lattice is complete. Trim away the excess pastry and gently press the outside edge of the top and bottom crusts together to secure in place.
Cut-outs: Trim and crimp the outside edge of the pie pastry. Use a small cookie cutter or an assortment of sizes to cut out pieces of pastry and arrange these over the fruit to cover at least 75% of it. Gently press the edges of any shapes that overlap the bottom crust, to seal the edges.
Step 5
Brush the top pastry with egg wash and bake the pie for about 75 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the pie is a rich golden brown.
Step 6
Cool the pie on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours before serving, or chill to serve cold.
BONUS BAKE
Blueberry, Raspberry or Cherry Pie
To make a summer fruit pie with a cooked filling, bring 4 cups (1 L) fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or pitted cherries and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring once or twice. Add 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fruit breaks down a little, under 10 minutes. Whisk 3 Tbsp (24 g) cornstarch with ¼ cup (60 mL) cold water and stir into the simmering fruit, stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the fruit. Chill the filling and then follow the pie assembly instructions above and bake.
