Cranberry Ginger Pie
Cranberries are in peak season during the fall months, harvested from bogs. Their tart flavor is complemented by the zesty ginger and sweetened by just enough sugar to balance the flavor.
In this recipe, fresh or frozen cranberries are simmered with sugar and grated ginger then strained so the mixture is smooth. The jam is tempered with egg yolks so that it becomes a creamy, almost custardy, pie filling. Fruit curd is like jam’s creamier cousin. I feel like I’m always looking for more things to make with cranberries during the holiday season so this makes for a unique dessert to contrast all the apple pies.
Cranberry Ginger Pie
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Cranberries – Cranberries are in season from mid-September through mid-November. They are harvested from bogs throughout the Northeast. It can be very difficult to find fresh cranberries in the off-season so I recommend using frozen cranberries if needed. They are both used to make the curd for this cranberry pie as well as sugared for the garnish.
- Graham crackers – Graham crackers are ground in the food processor until finely ground and mixed with melted butter to create the crumbly, flavorful crust to this pie.
How to Make Cranberry Ginger Pie
- Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190ºC). Butter a 10-inch aluminum pie pan or pie dish. In a food processor combine the graham crackers, sugar, salt and melted butter, pulsing until the graham cracker crumbs are moist and finely ground.
- Par bake the crust. Pour into the pie pan and press the crumbs evenly along the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Boil the cranberries. In a large saucepan bring the cranberries, sugar, ginger and ½ cup of water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Blend the cranberry mixture. Add the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain though a fine mesh sieve, pressing to get all the juice out, discarding the solids.
- Make the curd. Add the eggs and egg yolks to a medium mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Slowly whisk a cup of the cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper the mixture.
- Simmer. Pour the diluted egg mixture back into the cranberry curd, whisking to combine. Return the mixture to medium-low heat, cooking until thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely melted. Set aside and let cool completely at room temperature.
- Make the sugared cranberries. Add 1 cup of the sugar and 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and a syrup forms, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly then add the cranberries, let them sit in the syrup for 10 minutes.Drain and spread them on a wire rack at room temperature until they’re tacky to the touch, about 1 hour. Roll the cranberries in the remaining granulated sugar and set aside. This can be done a few hours before serving the pie.
- Bake and serve. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Evenly spread the cranberry ginger curd in the cooled pie crust. Bake until the custard is set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely then refrigerate until firm, 2 hours at least. Top with the sugared cranberries and serve on a pie plate.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
- The curd can be made a day ahead and warmed so that it evenly sets in the pie filling.
- I top it with sugared cranberries for a festive garnish though it can be left unadorned.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this cranberry ginger pie recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Cranberry Ginger Pie
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, about 1 sleeve graham crackers, ground
- ⅓ packed cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
For the sugared cranberries:
- 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions:
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190ºC). Butter a 10-inch aluminum pie pan. In a food processor combine the graham crackers, sugar, salt and melted butter, pulsing until the graham cracker crumbs are moist.
- Pour into the pie pan and press the crumbs evenly along the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
For the filling:
- In a large saucepan bring the cranberries, sugar, ginger and ½ cup of water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Add the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain though a fine mesh sieve, pressing to get all the juice out, discarding the solids.
- Add the eggs and egg yolks to a medium mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Slowly whisk a cup of the cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper the mixture.
- Pour the diluted egg mixture back into the cranberry curd, whisking to combine. Return the mixture to medium-low heat, cooking until thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely melted. Set aside and let cool completely.
For the sugared cranberries:
- Add 1 cup of the sugar and 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and a syrup forms, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly then add the cranberries, let them sit in the syrup for 10 minutes.
- Drain and spread them on a wire rack until they’re tacky to the touch, about 1 hour. Roll the cranberries in the remaining granulated sugar and set aside. This can be done a few hours before serving the pie.
For assembly:
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Evenly spread the cranberry ginger curd in the cooled pie crust. Bake until the custard is set, about 10 minutes.
- Let cool completely then refrigerate until firm, 2 hours. Top with the sugared cranberries and serve.
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