Is it just me or are men hard to shop for? While fussing about men and shopping, I also believe it must be amazing to wake up on Christmas day with a house full of delicious food and wrapped gifts for everyone you know without having any basic idea how it all happened. It’s the only time of the year when being a guy seems like a better deal.
I’m bragging a little, but last year I gave my husband a perfect present that he not only still uses, but can locate all by himself without any prompting. (That’s how I know he likes it!) You’re going to laugh, but it’s an apple peeler and slicer that I purchased after seeing one on the food network. He loves it! This gadget takes seconds to make any apple a perfect look-alike for a slinky and it means he can pretty much persuade me to make apple pie whenever he wants it – which is most of the time. I too love a good apple pie, but sometimes you need to shake things up. Here’s our apple pie makeover - an apple pie mixed with cranberries and a hint of brandy in a pecan shortbread crust. Oh my, it was wonderful. I even cut out little stars with extra dough just for the fun of it. Maybe Martha Stewart wouldn’t put it on her magazine cover, but that’s her problem, it was cute as – well - pie.
And best of all, the crust was a cinch to mix up in the food processor. It’s just your basic shortbread recipe with some toasted chopped pecans added. I tossed a little brandy and some dried cranberries in the apple filling to liven things up. It was hands down the best apple pie we’ve ever had. Now if only I could find that perfect gift again…..
Apple Pie with a Pecan Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup pecans
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, cut in one inch pieces
½ cup powdered sugar
3 cups flour
½ tsp salt
Filling
4 or 5 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp dried ginger
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp brandy, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
Cool completely (about 15 minutes).
Coarsely chop pecans in a food processor and remove them to a small bowl.
Add butter, flour, confectioner’s sugar, and salt to the food processor and combine until mixture is crumbly and beginning to turn into a ball.
Add pecans last just to combine
Save one-third of dough, wrap in plastic, and chill until ready to use.
Press remaining dough on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan or a pie pan.
Cover and chill crust while preparing the filling.
Peel and slice apples. (My favorite part!)
Toss together apples with remaining ingredients.
Spoon mixture into prepared crust.
Use remaining dough to either cut in shapes or strips and arrange over apple filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until juices are thick and bubbly, crust is golden brown, and apples are tender.
