Gingered Apple - Cranberry Pie
Submitted by Jolene_Broz
Double-crust apple cranberry pie with crystallized ginger, lemon zest, and allspice. Decorated with pastry leaves and finished with demerara sugar for sparkle.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
70 minREADY
90 minThis apple pie takes a sharp left turn from the usual cinnamon-heavy version. Crystallized ginger brings a warm, spicy bite that builds differently than ground spices. Fresh cranberries add bursts of tart, ruby-colored fruit that cut through the sweetness of the apples. And lemon zest brightens the whole filling with a citrus edge.
Tart apples are a must here. Granny Smith, Pippin, or McIntosh have the acidity to stand up to a full cup of sugar and ⅓ cup of candied ginger without turning cloying. Sweet apples like Fuji would make this pie one-note.
The double crust gets decorated with pastry cutout leaves and berries made from scraps, brushed with cream, and finished with a crunch of demerara sugar. It’s a holiday centerpiece pie that tastes best served slightly warm with lemon whipped cream.
Chef Tips
- Slice apples thin and lengthwise. Thick wedges don’t cook through in the bake time and leave hard spots.
- Chop the crystallized ginger finely. Large pieces create overpowering hot spots in an otherwise balanced filling.
- Pile the fruit high in the center. It settles as it bakes, and a flat pie looks underfiiled.
- Start at high heat for 15 minutes to set the crust, then drop the temperature for the remaining bake. This prevents a soggy bottom.
Variations
- Add ½ cup toasted walnuts to the filling for a nutty crunch throughout.
- Replace allspice with ½ teaspoon cardamom for a more aromatic, Scandinavian-inspired twist.
- Use a lattice top instead of a solid crust to let the cranberry color show through.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
Peel, core, and thinly slice apples, lengthwise.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger pastry portion into an 11-inch round.
Fit carefully into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the pastry so there is about 1 inch overhang.
Fold the overhang under and press it down against the pan rim.
Roll out the remaining pastry into a 10-inch round for the top crust.
Set the prepared pie pan and top crust aside.
In a large bowl combine the apples, ginger, cranberries and lemon zest.
In a small bowl toss together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and allspice.
Add to the bowl of fruit and toss well.
Arrange the fruit in the prepared pan, piling it high in the center.
Dot with the butter.
Brush the pastry rim with water and lay the top crust over the fruit.
Press down around the rim, then trim and flute or leave a plain edge.
Make 2 or 3 slits in the top.
Press together the pastry scraps and roll out ⅛ inch thick.
Cut out leaf and berry shapes and use to decorate the pie.
Brush the top with cream where you wish to place decorations.
Press the leaves and berries in place.
Lightly brush the crust, including the decorations, with cream.
Sprinkle with demerara or raw sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350℉ (180℃) degrees and continue baking until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender when pierced through one of the slits, 50 to 55 minutes longer.
Transfer to a rack to cool.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Accompany with the Lemon Whipped Cream.
Serves 8-10.
NOTE: This pie tastes best when slightly warm, but it can be baked 3 or 4 hours in advance and served at room temperature.
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