Alan's Apple-Cranberry Pie

By smleonard

Ingredients

• Alan's Pie Pastry:
• Alan's Pie Pastry (recipe below), or 2 rolled refrigerated piecrusts
• 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 recipe Pastry Cream (recipe below)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. whipping cream
• 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup ice-cold water
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1- 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter
• Pastry Cream:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons constarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll one pastry portion to a circle 14 inches in diameter. Transfer pastry to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate; cover and set aside. On a floured surface roll remaining pastry to a 12-inch circle; cover and set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine apples, cranberries and lemon juice. In a small bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice and salt.

3. Spread bottom of crust with Pastry Cream. Toss apple mixture with dry ingredients; add to pie tin. Immediately add top crust. Trim to 1/2-inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Cut 4 small openings, so the steam is released. Combine egg and whipping cream; brush liberally on pie. Place pie on a baking sheet.

4. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cover edges of pie with foil, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning. Cool on wire rack.

Pastry Cream: In a small saucepan combine 1 cup milk and 1/4 cup sugar; cook over medium heat just until bubbly on edges. Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl beat 2 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup hot milk mixture; quickly beat in remaining milk mixture. Return to saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thick and comes to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Transfer to bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap. Cool. Chill to store.

Alan's Pie Pastry: In a very large bowl combine 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. With a pastry blender cut in 1- 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter leaving chunks the size of peas. Combine 2/3 cup ice-cold water, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute; do not overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break, not stretch. Divide into three portions; shape into disks. Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Makes 10 servings.