This Cranapple Pie with a Pleated Crust was one of the favorite dessert combinations at the bakery. The only change I have made is the crust and how it is finished before baking. This pie uses a galette style crust which is a usually freeform and finished in one piece, without an upper crust. This leaves the filling exposed and makes a beautiful presentation.
Before picking over the cranberries, pour them into a rimmed baking sheet. When I first started working with cranberries at the shop, I just dumped them out onto my work area ----where they rolled off and promptly under everything. We were still finding dried cranberries six months later under hard to get to shelves! By containing them, you won't have to chase them all over the kitchen. There are usually a few wrinkled or soft berries in the packages - just pitch those.
Cranberries have a ton of natural pectin, so they will thicken quite nicely without any help. There is no sugar in the cranberry portion as it is all with the apples. I use Gala apples in this pie as I like the consistency and the taste. They stay together nicely when baked and don't get mushy. You want to have 1 1/2 pounds of apples, after they are cored and peeled. Because this pie has no upper crust, it is really quick and easy to put together.
I used a 9" glass pie plate because I like to see the color of the bottom crust. The filling will come to the top as it finishes baking where it will bubble away. However, it will sink as it cools. I wanted you to be aware of this so you don't think you made a mistake with your Cranapple Pie with a Pleated Crust.
Making the Cranapple Pie
Pie Crust - Use the Double Crust from my American Pie Crust recipe. Put it together exactly as in the photos. It can be made the day ahead and refrigerated. I like to do this so it is cold when I want to roll it out.
Preparing the Cranberries
12 ounce bag of cranberries, picked over
85 grams raisins (3 ounces)
1/2 cup water
Pour cranberries into a rimmed baking sheet. Pick through them to remove any iffy ones.
Place in a sauce pan with the raisins and water.
Bring to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer 3 to 5 minutes until softened.
Making the Cranapple Filling
350 grams sugar (1 3/4 cup sugar or 12 1/4 ounces)
1/3 cup flour (45 grams flour)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 liquid ounces brandy
1 1/2 pounds peeled and sliced apples (about 6 medium apples)
Cooked Cranberries
Combine the sugar, flour, salt and nutmeg. Stir in the brandy and apples. Add the cranberry mixture Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Assembly
This is a bit difficult to explain. The photos will help where words fail.
Pie Crust Dough
Pie Crust Filling
1 egg, beaten
Coarse sugar, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. or 350 degrees if using glass. Roll the piecrust into a 15 inch round.
Cut it into a 14 inch round and place in a 9 inch pie pan and let the the excess dough overhang the pan
Fill the pie shell with the cranapple filling.
Turn the very top of the dough down over the filling
Pleat the crust from the right by folding it down and over the first piece you turned down.
Keep turning the pie plate so the unpleated part is on top. Continue pleating until you get to the end.
Beat and egg until the yolk and white are completely mixed.
Brush the crust with the egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
Place on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet (this just makes it easier to get into and out of the oven).
Bake for about 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes. Cover the top loosely if browns too much.
Allow to sit until lukewarm. Cut and enjoy! Vanilla ice cream is particularly good when this is served warm. This has a serious yum factor!!!
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Recipe FAQ's
A Cranapple Pie combines the sweetness of apples with the tartness of cranberries for a perfectly balanced flavor perfect for a Thanksgiving and hoiday baking.
Granny Smith and Galas are perfect as neither one is excessively juicy which helps keep the pie beautiful when cut.
The pleated crust uses just one piece of dough in a pie pan. The filling is added and the crust is folded around the edges, much like a galette, eliminating the need for a top crust. The filling is exposed in the middle of the tart for an attractive look.
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Tom H. says
I made this for Thanksgiving with a mixture of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples. It was hgood, except very sweet. Next time, I'd reduce sugar by half. It was also very soupy. Maybe add a bit of pectin?
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Tom - no pectin is not for pies. I've never had it soupy so I'm wondering if the Honey crisps are particularly liquid. There great for eating but not all apples bake up well. I usually use Granny Smiths and either Gala or Pink Ladies and those work well. You might want to try those apples. Otherwise, increase the flour to 1/2 cup or boil the cranberry filling until almost all the water is gone. I think perhaps that was the problem.
siftingfocus says
Helen, the very first pie I ever baked was a cranberry pear pie for our Thanksgiving dinner. I was probably around 11 or 12 years old. Some of my most treasured memories are of working side by side with my dad preparing the Thanksgiving meal. I know the pie was a total flop but he didn't let me know that. He supported my efforts and continued to inspire me in the field of baking, add I am so very grateful for that.
I love the pleated crust on this pie. In addition to being so attractive, it short cuts the work since you only have to roll out one dough round.
hfletcher says
I love that you shared that wonderful memory with us. It sounds like you had a great father.
We make a Cranapple Tart with a crumb crust at the bakery. It was always a big hit this time of years. I'm so glad you ilk the crust. I made it that way for the very reason you state - only one crust to roll, saving so much time.
hfletcher says
Hi Carole: Thank you so much for your comment. Thank you for letting me share your Christmas and honoring your father-in-law. He was lucky to have you as his daughter-in-law and I am sure he knew that.
Gilly says
Can this be assembled, frozen and baked at a later date? I'm looking for ideas to incorporate it into a plated dessert other than using ice cream or whipped cream, probably a creme anglaise sauce, perhaps with brandy? Any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks for sharing.
hfletcher says
Hi Gilly: Yes this can even be baked and then frozen. That is how we sold them at the bakery. If you are using this at a function, then use a topping such as a crisp or crumble or a two crust pie because when you cut this, it looks like part of the pie top is missing. A brandy creme anglaise would be perfect as it would emphasize the brandy in the tart.
hfletcher says
Thanks for the catch Kim……and for letting me know. For some reason I had a difficult time technically getting this post up. I thought I caught all the errors, technical and otherwise. Am grateful you found this before it got too far.