Cranberry Pie

Isn’t this pretty? It’s the colour – cranberry. The flavour isn’t bad either. This is another selection from the Taste of Acadie collection- straightforward, good, basic and hearty.

I’ve used cranberries in pies (mixed with other berries, mixed with apples), in crisps, cookies, squares, cakes and muffins, but for some reason it had never occurred to me to make them the centerpiece primary flavour. I would have thought they would be too tart, but like most fruit pies, there is enough sugar in this one to overcome any tartness.

The recipe did not call for a pie size, so I used my standard 12 inch pie plate. I recommend using a 9 inch pie plate. Better yet, this filling would be excellent in tarts or mini-tarts. I served it with whipped cream, but you could easily put a lattice or ‘crisp’ top on it, or decorate with fresh fruit or custard or creme fraiche. It was easy to eat: not too sweet or tart.

Tarte aux pommes de pre
(Cranberry Pie)
2 C cranberries
¼ C water
¾ C plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 pie crust, uncooked

1. Bake the pie crust at 400F for 10min. Allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, put the cranberries in a large pot with the water and sugar. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool.
3. Add the beaten egg, butter and vanilla and mix well.
4. Fill the pie crust with the cranberries. Cover with a lattice crust, if desired.
5. Return the pie to a 350F oven for another 35-40min.
6. Serve warm or chilled.