As Thanksgiving approaches, the arrival of pie season brings warmth and comfort to homes with delightful recipes featuring seasonal fruits and nuts.
It’s officially pie season—the time of year when buttery crusts, warm spices, and slow-baked goodness fill the air and our homes. As Thanksgiving rolls in, nothing says comfort quite like a perfectly baked pie.
As kitchens begin to buzz with festive baking, three irresistible pie recipes capture the warmth of the season while showcasing the rich flavor and natural goodness of fruits and nuts. These recipes are crafted to bring comfort, celebration, and a touch of magic to every dessert table.
Elevate your holiday gatherings with a velvety spiced Pumpkin Pie, a golden crunchy twist on a beloved classic with the Apple Streusel Pie, and a vibrant tart-meets-sweet favorite, the Cranberry Pie.
California Cranberry Pie
This delightful pie combines the tartness of cranberries with the richness of walnuts, creating a perfect balance of flavors.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
25g walnut halves
150g plain flour
1 tablespoon icing sugar
75g butter, diced
For the filling:
150g light brown muscovado sugar
50g butter, softened
3 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
100g maple syrup
50g single cream
150g walnut halves
75g dried cranberries
Preparation
To make the pastry, preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Place the walnuts in a food processor and finely chop. Add the flour and icing sugar, pulsing to blend. Incorporate the diced butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water to form a soft dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line a 23cm fluted flan tin. Prick the base with a fork and chill for another 10 minutes. Place on a baking tray, line the pastry case with foil, and add baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the beans and foil, cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
For the filling, whisk together the sugar and softened butter until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, maple syrup, and cream. Roughly chop 100g of walnuts and add them along with the cranberries to the mixture. Pour the filling into the pastry case and scatter the remaining walnuts on top.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (gas mark 4) and bake for another 20 minutes until just set. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin.
California Pumpkin Pie
This pie is a classic that embodies the flavors of fall with its creamy pumpkin filling and crunchy walnut topping.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
25g California walnuts
250g plain flour
125g cold butter, diced
1 medium egg yolk
For the filling:
425g can pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
397g can condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
100g California walnuts, chopped, plus 25g
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Preparation
To make the pastry, preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Blitz the walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the flour and butter, mixing until it resembles breadcrumbs. Incorporate the egg yolk and up to 3 tablespoons of water to form a soft dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 23cm fluted flan tin. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 15 minutes. Line the pastry case with scrunched-up baking parchment, add baking beans, and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
In a food processor, combine the pumpkin, eggs, condensed milk, and spices, blitzing until smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts and pour the mixture into the pastry case. Bake for 40-45 minutes until set and golden on top. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.
For a finishing touch, mix the remaining 25g of walnuts with maple syrup and roast for 5 minutes until caramelized. Sprinkle over the pie before serving.
California Streusel Apple Pie
This pie features a delicious streusel topping that perfectly complements the sweet and tart apples.
Ingredients
For the streusel topping:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup California walnuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup butter, melted
For the filling:
8 cups thinly sliced apples (Golden Delicious)
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 9-inch deep-dish prepared pie crust
Preparation
In a medium bowl, mix oats, walnuts, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and ginger with a fork. Drizzle with melted butter and combine to form a coarse crumb mixture. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ginger. Arrange the apples in the prepared pie crust and sprinkle the walnut streusel over the top, covering the apples completely.
Bake the pie on a baking sheet, loosely covered with foil, in a 190°C oven for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the streusel is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.
As you prepare for Thanksgiving, these pie recipes are sure to bring joy and warmth to your celebrations.
Source: Original article