Modern Mincemeat Pie

NOTE: This recipe uses fresh and dried fruit (but no meat) in the filling. The following dough recipe is firm enough to hold its shape and decorate but still delicious and flaky. This pie is fairly sweet and rich and should serve ten to twelve.

Firm Pie Dough

Mincemeat Filling

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For dough, pulse flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Pulse machine 5 times in 1-second bursts. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 4 to 6 more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. If you do not have food processor, grate frozen butter and shortening into flour mixture and mix with your hands for 1 minute, rubbing flour and shortening between your fingers. Flour should turn very pale yellow and become coarser in texture.

2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together; gradually add up to 2 more tablespoons of ice water if dough will not stick together. Shape dough into ball with hands, divide into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated overnight or wrapped again in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month.)

3. For filling, place all ingredients except ¹/₂ cup of cider and brandy in large, heavy saucepan set over medium-low heat. Bring to boil and simmer gently, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until mixture thickens and darkens in color, about 3 hours. Continue cooking, stirring every minute or two, until mixture has jamlike consistency, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining apple cider and brandy and cook until liquid in pan is thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Cool mixture. (Mincemeat can be refrigerated for several days.)

4. Remove dough from refrigerator. The dough is ready to be rolled when it is still cool to touch, but you can push your finger halfway down through center. (If dough has been chilled for more than 1 hour, it may have to sit on the counter for 10 to 20 minutes to soften.) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.

5. On lightly floured surface, roll larger dough disk into 12-inch circle, about ¹/₂ inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into 9-inch Pyrex pie pan, leaving in place dough that overhangs lip. Place cooled filling in pie shell.

6. On lightly floured surface, roll smaller disk into 11-inch circle. Lay pastry over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to ¹/₂ inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough (see figures 1 through 4). Cut four slits at right angles on dough top to allow steam to escape. Brush egg white on top of crust and sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over top.

7. Place pie on middle rack of oven. Bake until crust is lightly golden, 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, about 35 minutes. The bottom crust should also be golden.

8. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.