I love experimenting in the kitchen. I especially love experimenting when I host a dinner at my house. Sometimes it is daunting because I want to impress my visitors, but at the same time, the suspense of succeeding/failing at a recipe makes it even more exciting when you can share the journey with other people.
Tonight’s excitement was my Apple and Cranberry Crumb Pie! I cooked Thanksgiving breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 6 people today. Everything was pretty much planned and I knew my recipes would be just perfect. So, I decided I needed a surprise for myself. I’ve made many Apple Pies before. Many were good, but I wanted to try something different: boiling the apples. I thought boiling might take away the flavors of the apples, but it didn’t. In fact, I think this Apple Pie was THE BEST Apple Pie I’ve ever baked. Everyone raved about this pie and asked for seconds.
Vegan Thanksgiving Apple and Cranberry Crumb Pie (one 9″ pie)
Crust:
Mix together in a bowl:
- 1 c whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Work in:
- 1/4 c coconut oil or Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
When the mixture looks like crumbs and the oil/butter is distributed evenly, add
- 1/4 c cold water
Mix well and form into a ball. Roll out to form a circle and place carefully on to a pie shell. Prick and bake at 400F for 10 minutes.
Filling:
Bring a pot to boil, add:
- 6 large Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced
- 1/2 c dried cranberries
Simmer for 8 – 10 minutes. It will look like mush. Drain well, saving 1/4 c of the apple water and discarding the rest. Mix the 1/4 c apple water with:
- 2 T arrowroot powder
Simmer until thickened. Take off heat and add while whisking:
- 1/2 c maple syrup
- 1/4 c Sucanat or other unrefined sugar
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Add in the cooked apples and cranberries. Mix well and pour into the pie shell.
Crumb Topping:
Mix together in a bowl:
- 3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour
- 1/2 c Sucanat or other unrefined sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Work in:
- 4 T coconut oil or Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
The mixture is done when it looks like crumbs and the oil/butter is distributed evenly. Crumble the topping over the apple filling. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
ENJOY and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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