Sugar Cranberry Pie from Alex Guarnaschelli recipe is the executive chef at Butter Restaurant in New York City, where she creates an eclectic American and green market-inspired menu. 

Ingredients 

Serves 8                                                        

For the Crust

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups shortening

2 sticks unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon

for greasing the pie tin

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water

Flour for rolling the crust

For the Filling

1 tablespoon butter

4 Anjou or Bosc Pears, peeled and small diced

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

3 whole cloves

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest

24 ounces fresh cranberries, (2 bags)

To Bake

Filling (above)

Top and bottom pie crust

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons orange juice

For the Garnish

8 oranges

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

1 pinch turmeric

To Serve

Orange peel garnish (above)

1 cup granulated sugar

Cranberry pie, sliced

Nutmeg ice cream (or vanilla ice cream)

8-16 cloves

Method 

For the Crust

1. T o prep: Grease a pie tin with 1 tablespoon of butter. Clear and clean off a large, flat surface. Lightly flour the area.

2 Make your dough: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a metal bowl. Work the shortening and 2 sticks of the butter in with your fingers until the mixture is almost smooth. Add ice water and continue to mix with fingers.

3. P lace dough on the floured surface and cut in half. Reserve second half. Using a rolling pin, roll out the first half so it is at least 4-5 inches wider than the pie tin. Gently place the dough into the pie tin, and press into the bottom and the sides of the tin. Pinch any excess at the top. Place the pan in the refrigerator to rest.

4. Roll the second half of the dough for the top of the pie. Place on a parchment or waxed paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.

For the Filling

1. Heat butter in medium sauté pan. Add pears and sauté. Add 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla bean and cloves. Toss and remove from heat to cool.

2. Combine 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, corn syrup and orange zest and mix. Add cranberries and toss to coat the fruit.

3. Heat a medium sauté pan and add the cranberry mixture. Sauté quickly.

4. Combine pear mixture and cranberry mixture in a bowl and let cool.

To Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Remove vanilla bean from filling. Pour filling onto the bottom pie crust.

3. Remove the top crust from the refrigerator and “fold” it onto the rolling pin. Roll the dough over the top of the pie. Pinch the top to make the edges fluted and sealed all around the pie. Use a pastry cutter or small knife to cut an opening in the center of the top. Fold back the dough so it looks like open pages of a book.

4. Place the pie in the center of the oven. Cook, undisturbed, for ten minutes. Lower the heat to 375 degrees. Cook for an additional 30 minutes.

5. While the pie is baking, combine sugar, corn syrup and orange juice in a small sauce pan. Simmer gently and reduce until the consistency is such that it could coat the back of a spoon.

6. Open the oven door and slide the rack out slightly. Pour the mixture into the opening at the top of the pie. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

For the Garnish

1. Bring two small pots of water to a boil.

2. Using a small knife, peel one single piece of skin from around the “equator” (center) of each orange. Trim any thick pith off the inside of each peel, taking care they stay in one piece.

3. Drop the zests into the first pot and boil for one minute. Strain and drop them into the second pot. Cook for one minute, strain and set them aside.

4. In a third small pot, bring the sugar, water and turmeric to a boil. Submerge the orange zests and cook over high heat until the liquid boils. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the zests are tender. Remove zests to a baking sheet and allow them to cool flat.

To Serve 

1. Dust the zests with 1/2 cup granulated sugar.

2. P lace a slice of the pie in the center of a plate and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Lay one of the zests over the empty part of the plate. Place a scoop of ice cream on top of the center of the zest and gingerly “fold” each side up over the ice cream like wrapping a bow around a present. Secure with a clove at the top. Serve immediately.