Apple Cinnamon Mincemeat Pie

Apple Cinnamon Mincemeat Pie

You can substitute a box of frozen pie crust, about 22 ounces, for the homemade dough. Thaw the dough as directed, and roll it back into shape if it cracks when unwrapping.

Ingredients:
1 recipe double-crust pie dough:
3 pounds (6 to 8 medium-size) firm crisp apples, such as Empire, Mutsu or Honeycrisp
Grated zest from 1 small lemon
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup bottled mincemeat
2 tablespoons half-and-half
Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Cinnamon sweetened whipped cream, or rum raisin ice cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Have a deep 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate and a baking sheet ready.

Roll out the larger disk of dough between two sheets of floured wax paper into a thin circle about 14 inches in diameter. Carefully fold the dough in half, then place it in the pie dish, Unfold it and fit it over the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Trim the overhang to leave about 1/2 inch all around the pie dish. Refrigerate.

Roll the other piece of dough between 2 sheets of floured wax paper into an 11-inch circle and place it (still between the wax paper) on the baking sheet and refrigerate it.

For the filling, peel the apples, and quarter them through the stem end. Remove the core. Cut each quarter into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Put the slices into a large bowl, and add the lemon zest. Stir in sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Gently stir in the mincemeat. Let stand, about 10 minutes.

Spoon the apple mixture and accumulated juices into the dough-lined pie dish. Pat the apples down to compact them a bit.

Carefully place the top crust over the fruit. Use your fingers to press together the top and bottom crusts, trimming as needed. Use a fork to make a decorative edge. Brush the top of the pie and the edges with the half-and-half. Sprinkle everything generously with the coarse sugar. Use the fork to gently poke steam vents into the top of the pie in several spots.

Bake pie at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Now slide the baking sheet under the pie to catch any drips. Continue baking at 325 degrees until the top crust is richly browned, 30 to 40 minutes more. (Use foil strips to cover the edges of the pie if they brown too quickly.) Cool pie on wire rack until barely warm.

Serve warm with cinnamon sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.