Cranberry Chiffon Pie

A second cranberry pie from Wartime Recipes of the Maritimes. This one is more work (which isn’t saying much, as the other pie is the easiest from-scratch pie I’ve ever made, bar none), but it also seems way fancier than the actual amount of work involved.

Ingredients

1 pkg gelatin softened in 1/2 cup cold water
2 cups cranberries
1/4 cup water
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
9" pie shell (baked)
1 cup whipped cream, to serve

Instructions

Cook the cranberries in 1/4 cup water until they pop open. Push through a sieve, discarding skins and seeds (I didn't do this). 

Add cranberries to double boiled with half the sugar and egg yolks, and beat together. Bring to simmer and stir until thick. Add gelatin, lemon juice, and salt. 

Beat egg whites until stiff, then add the other half of the sugar and continue beating until glossy. 

Fold egg whites into cranberries. Pour into baked pie shell and chill until set. Spread whipped cream over the top before serving. 

Since I like to retain most of the fruit (i.e. peels, etc.), I didn’t sieve the cranberries. (I did try to use a hand blender, to break down the skins, but that mostly ended with sticky spots of red all over the vicinity, and still most skins intact). This meant there was some extra texture to the pie. I think it would have been more refined without, but it wasn’t a big deal to me.

Also, the cranberries made actual popping sounds when they were cooking, like popcorn but quieter. I got a kick out of that.

This turned into a really bright pink. Surprising, and kind of eye catching.

So, this recipe made way more than the filling for one pie shell. I’m not sure how this happened. Bigger eggs? Fluffier whites? Exceptionally careful folding? No idea. I put probably another 60% of a pie’s-worth into a bowl to set up in the fridge. (This would be a great option if you wanted to dispense with the pie crust altogether).

The verdict

This was a super pie! Really light, but flavourful. (Also, a very bright pink!) Might try sieving the cranberries next time. Maybe. Would make again either way. It would also make a great cranberry mousse, if made in a dish without the pie crust. This dessert should be on your radar for thanksgiving!