Birding Blossoms and Baking

Most of you know that I am new to blogging. I am still learning how to utilize WordPress. I did not know that for each new posting I should be opening a new page. So, for all of you that tried to print the recipe of the pie I baked for the Martha Stewart Show and found your printer spewing out the entire contents of the blog, I apologize!!

This pie was one of 5 finalists chosen from 170 pies!

Here is the recipe:

First I use chef Paul Bergeron’s pie crust recipe that was on a Martha Stewart show. It’s the same recipe proportions as my grandmother’s but she only used lard. I  order lard from the same butcher the chef uses: the name is Dietrich’s Meats, Krumsville, PA. The phone number is 610 756 6344.

Pie dough

3 cups ap flour

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 cup ice water

2-1/2 tsp sugar

9 Tbs cold unsalted butter, in small pieces

6 Tbs cold leaf lard

Make in food processor.

First stir salt into water. Set aside. Blend flour, sugar, and butter in processor until butter is in small pieces. Add lard and pulse until fat is size of a pea. Pulse in water.  Form into 2 disks and chill. Use one disk for this pie.

Filling:

Adapted from a Sunset magazine recipe:

2Tbs brandy

1/4 cup currants

1 cup organic cranberries

1-1/4 cup sugar

4 Tbs ap flour

Grated peel of one organic orange

3/4 tsp cinnamon

7 or 8 apples; I used Ida Red, Stayman, and a granny smith

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup ap flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

Soak the currants in brandy overnight.

Peel apples, quarter them and then slice each quarter into 4 to 5 slices. You want them thin but not paper thin. Mix with the 1-1/4 cup sugar, the cranberries, 4 tbs flour, orange peel, cinnamon, and currants with the brandy. Let rest while you roll the dough.

Roll the dough to about 14″ for a 9-1/2″ Pyrex pie plate. Fit into the dish. Flute the edge. Now make the topping: with a pastry blender mix the butter,  brown sugar, and 3/4 cup flour until it forms into a nice crumb mixture.

Now scrape the apple mixture into the unbaked pie crust, top with crumbs.

Bake for 55-65 minutes in a preheated  375 degree oven.

Very nice served warm!

Here’s the pie:

In the photo you can also see the second pie that I baked for the pie contest: it’s a walnut streusel apple pie, baked in an iron skillet. Honestly, my husband thought the skillet pie was the one that would win. Soon I’ll share that recipe. In the meantime I need to figure out how to archive posts. Wish me luck!

Cheers, Patty