Mini Cranberry-Apple Pies
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Our Mini Cranberry-Apple Pies are sweet, yet tart. What a great combination in one pie! Single-serving pies also work really well at a holiday gathering or dinner party. They’re easy to make, attractive, and guests love them. The apple and cranberry ingredients are especially seasonal for a Thanksgiving feast.
Ingredients
1 pound sweet apples, peeled
3/4 pound tart apples, peeled
1/4 cup chunky cranberry sauce
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
All-Purpose Pie Dough (see recipe below)
flour (for work surface)
1 large egg, well beaten
1 tablespoon coarse or regular granulated sugar
Instructions
If you have some 3- or 4-inch pie plates or a mini-pie maker on hand, you can produce four small pies using this recipe.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Cut apples into small chunks (rather than slices).
In a bowl, stir together apples, cranberry sauce, sugar, and spices.
Lightly flour your work surface. From All-Purpose Pie Dough, roll out 8 small crusts. Line pie plates with dough. (If you’re using a mini-pie maker, follow manufacturer’s instructions.)
Bake at 475°F 10 minutes; then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake 30 minutes longer.
Yield: 4 mini-pies
Ingredients
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, in pieces
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ice-cold water
Instructions
FOR VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS, CLICK HERE!
Chill the butter and shortening in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Combine the flour and salt in a food processor, cover, and pulse four or five times, to mix. Scatter the chilled butter and shortening on top. Cover and pulse eight to ten times more in 1-second bursts to break the fat into very small pieces. Using the feed tube, add the water in an 8- to 10-second-long stream, while pulsing. Continue to pulse until the dough forms large, clumpy crumbs.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pack it into a ball. Gently knead once or twice, then flatten into a 1⁄2-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before rolling.
Makes enough pastry for 1 large pie shell or several smaller ones.
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann
Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.
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