Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie

They say that as you get older you develop more of a sweet tooth. If my parents are any test of this theory, I would have to say, yes this does indeed seem to be true. When my siblings and I were kids (in the 60s) we had dessert once a month (not counting the coffee cake dad made on Sundays). These days nary a pie recipe gets published that my father doesn’t want to try, especially when I’m around to make the crust. He made this delicious crumble pie from one in Sunset Magazine a few days ago and it was half gone by noon. There are three of us. The pie serves 12. Did I say it was half gone by noon? You get the picture.

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie Recipe

• Yield: Makes 10-12 servings.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp plus 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 10-inch pie pastry for a single-crust pie
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Method

1 Combine the brandy and the currants in a small bowl. Let sit for at least an hour, until currants are plump.

2 Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl mix 1 cup white sugar with 6 Tbsp flour, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a slotted spoon to transfer currants from brandy (reserve the brandy) to the sugar mixture. Add cranberries and apples and mix well. Pour filling into unbaked pie pastry and drizzle with the reserved brandy.
3 In another bowl mix 1 cup flour with 2/3 cup of brown sugar. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub with your fingers until the mixture forms small lumps. Sprinkle topping over the filling. Set pie in a foil-lined 10x15 inch baking pan (to catch the juices).
4 Bake on bottom rack until juices bubble, 55 to 65 minutes. If pie browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
5 Set pie on rack, uncovered, to cool for 2 to 3 hours.