Sometimes you get an idea in your head that you just need to make a reality. This was one of those times. I already had alphabet cookie cutters from another project and a good slab pie recipe. I didn't have any leaf cookie cutters, but those were easy enough to freehand cut out of the dough.
For the filling I used up fruits that had been accumulating from my Boston Organics deliveries and ended up using 3 pears, 2 apples, and 4 oz. of cranberries, which I think ended up being about 5-6 cups of chopped fruit. I liked how the cranberries added a little tartness and color to the otherwise simply sweet filling. (If you want to add more than 4 oz. of cranberries, I would also up the amount of sugar to account for the additional tartness.)
I cheated a little and didn't make a bottom crust, but in the end I think that was a good call because it saved a lot of time and aggravation and really, no one likes the soggy bottom crust right? That meant I could make the top crust a little thicker and have plenty of dough left for the cut outs. If I had had the time, I would've added more leaves, but for my first attempt at pie dough decorations, I think it went pretty well. =)
Pear Apple Cranberry Slab Pie
makes a 9" x 13" slab pie
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed
3 tablespoons ice water, more as needed
3 pears, peeled and chopped
2 apples, peeled and chopped
4 oz. fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
Remove a heaping tablespoon of flour from the 2 cups and reserve for the filling. Mix the remaining flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the butter has been cut into pea-sized pieces. Add the water and pulse to combine. Add more water if needed, a teaspoon at a time, just until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place the chilled dough on a large piece of floured parchment paper or Silpat and roll the dough out to a 9" x 13" rectangle about 1/6" thick. You should have enough leftover dough to make cut outs from. Cover and return to the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Mix the sugar with the reserved flour and cinnamon, Toss with the chopped pears, apples, and cranberries. Pour into a 9" x 13" baking pan.
Decorate the pie dough as you like and place it over the fruit. Make an egg wash by mixing the beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the entire crust with the egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Next: Cranberry Curd Tart
Previously: Soy Garlic Glazed Korean Fried Cauliflower
Last Year: Pad Thai
Two Years Ago: Raindrop Cake
Three Years Ago: My Mom's Taiwanese Sticky Rice
Four Years Ago: Duchikey (Simplified Turkducken)
Seven Years Ago: Nanaimo Bars
Eight Years Ago: Homemade Crystallized Ginger
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