Ingredients
For the crust:
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 ounces vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 to 7 tablespoons cranberry juice
- 12 ounces all-purpose flour, about 2 3/4 cups, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the filling:
- 3 to 3 1/2-pounds pears, a mixture of Bartlett, Bosc and/or Anjou
- 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 6 ounces dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons cranberry jam
- 1 tablespoon cranberry juice
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
Directions
For the crust;
Place the butter, shortening and cranberry juice into the refrigerator for 1 hour.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour salt and sugar by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add the butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until the texture looks mealy. Add the shortening and pulse another 3 to 4 times until incorporated.
Remove the lid of the food processor and sprinkle in 5 tablespoons of the cranberry juice. Replace the lid and pulse 5 times. Add more cranberry juice as needed, and pulse again until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Weight the dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
For the filling:
Peel and core the pears. Slice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick wedges. Toss all of the pears with 1/4 cup of the sugar, place in a colander set over a large bowl and allow to drain for 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the drained liquid to a small saucepan, place over medium heat and reduce to 2 tablespoons. Set aside to cool. Toss the pears with the remaining sugar, cranberries, tapioca flour, jam, cranberry juice, lemon juice, salt and nutmeg.
For assembling and baking the pie:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator. Place the dough onto a lightly floured piece of waxed paper. Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and roll out into a 12-inch circle. Place into a 9 1/2 to 10-inch tart pan that is 2 inches deep. Gently press the dough into the sides of the pan, crimping and trimming the edges as necessary. Set a pie bird in the center of the bottom of the pan. Place the pears into the unbaked pie shell in concentric circles starting around the edges, working towards the center and forming a slight mound in the center of the pie. Sprinkle the cranberries a little at a time as you go.
Pour over any liquid that remains in the bowl. Roll out the second pie dough as the first. Place this dough over the apples, pressing the pie bird through the top crust. Press together the edges of the dough around the rim of the pie. Brush the top crust with the reduced juice everywhere except around the edge of the pie. Trim excess dough. Place the pie on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake on the floor of the oven for 30 minutes. Transfer to the lower rack of the oven and continue to bake another 20 minutes or until the pears are cooked through but not mushy. Remove to a rack and cool a minimum of 4 hours or until almost room temperature.
1 Video | Photo: Pear Cranberry Pie Recipe
















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By MsMoommist
on November 10, 2012
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use Crisco shortening, and ice cold water - 9 hrs! Ridiculous!
By bradpow1030
Harlem
on April 12, 2012
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The crust is stellar! My mother tried it and said, "This is better than my crust, and I never thought I'd say that."
Alton uses the same recipe with a tart pan and pie bird for his popular apple pie, the difference being the liquid; he changes it depending on the type of pie he's baking. I just used water and it worked out fine.
As I made this crust, I was worried that I was pushing / patching the dough into the pan too much. I didn't. The crust rolls out nice and thick and it can take a lot of in-the-pan shaping.
I skipped the glaze and used an egg wash sprinkled some sugar. It looked and tasted great.
By ktbos
Boston, MA
on November 17, 2011
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Full 5 stars for the recipe. It's a hearty pie and perfect in the tart pan. Pie bird is key. I've made it three thanksgivings now and the fourth is on deck next week.
I've never been able to find the cranberry jam. But Stonewall Kitchen has something called "Holiday Jam" which works great.
My oven can't have things on the floor so I preheat the oven with the sheet pan in there to approximate it. But I've found the hard way that it is better to put the parchment in on the sheet pan when you put the pie in and not while you are preheating. Also, I dock the bottom crust before putting in the pie bird.
I printed this recipe when it was missing the use of lemon juice - good to see they have that fixed. But amazingly, they didn't fix the phrase where it says to put in the apples. (This recipe is similar to Alton's AppleJack Apple Pie.
Read all 19 reviews