Dessert and Drinks for the winter blahs

I'm not a big fan of the winter months, and that's putting it mildly.  I don't like to be cold, I don't like slushing through snow with kids, trying to be on time for preschool when I'd rather be at home with a hot cup of coffee on a warm couch.  I can admit that right after a fresh snowfall, it is beautiful.  But then the cars drive through it and just leave ugly, slippery grey slush all over and eventually I also have to venture out in the mess, and the magic of the pristine scenery is lost. Winter holidays are great, I'll admit that. I'm working on enjoying Valentine's Day more, which you can read about here, and I love Christmas.  It's a favorite holiday of mine for several reasons, including the snacks and spirits! There are a few staple dessert and drink recipes that I don't make throughout the year, but, as a general rule, save for the several weeks encompassing Thanksgiving and  Christmas. Once in a while, when the glow of December has faded but the first glimmer of spring hasn't arrived, I treat myself to one of my favorite winter holiday desserts or cocktails (or both) to temporarily warm me up.  We haven't had much in the way of winter this year, but it's been pretty cold off and on which is enough to inspire me to have some dessert and booze.

This is one that is requested by other family members at gatherings during the fall and early winter, Cranberry Currant Pie.  It is made with tangy fresh cranberries, and the tiny dried Zante currants (also simply called currants) add interest and a bit of sweetness. For some reason, I always use the pie crust trimmings to cut out little stars for the top and sprinkle it with coarse sugar, so it has sort of become the signature look for this pie in our family. As an added bonus, this recipe is allergy friendly for my oldest daughter. In addition to the various fruits and vegetables that she cannot eat, this pie is also dairy, egg and nut free and is suitable for vegan baking.

Start with your favorite pie crust. Make sure you have enough for 2 crusts, one for the bottom crust and one to put on top. Usually, I just use Pillsbury pie crust. They are readily available, easy and also free of dairy, eggs and nuts. Plus, I have not yet perfected from-scratch pie crust like my grandmother's!

You will also need:

3 cups of fresh cranberries
3/4 to 1 cup of dried currants
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
5 tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare the bottom crust by rolling it out and placing it in a 9 inch pie plate.

Rinse the cranberries and currants in cold water, then chop them coarsely by putting them in a food processor and pulsing a few times.  You don't want to crush or puree them, just roughly chop them up a little bit.  Pour them into the pie crust and set aside for now.

Using a whisk, mix the sugar, salt, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl.  Add the water, lemon juice and vanilla & orange extracts.  This mixture will probably be pretty thick, and that's fine. 

Pour this over the cranberries in the pie plate, as evenly as you can.  Since the mixture is thick, it may seem to sit on top, but it's ok, it will settle in and distribute itself while the pie bakes.

Top with the second crust and trim off the excess from the edges.  Crimp or pinch around the edges to seal.  I use the scraps of crust to roll out again and cut out little stars (or whatever shape you prefer).  Brush the backs of the stars with water and lay them out across the top of the pie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.  Check on it after about 35 minutes, and if the edges are starting to brown too early, cover them with strips of aluminum foil to keep them from burning during the rest of the baking time.

Once the pie is finished, cool completely on a wire baking rack before slicing.


Check back tomorrow for my favorite cranberry drink recipes, and I'd love to know what you think of the pie!