Cranberry Tart

Cranberries in syrup layered over sliced apples in a buttery crust

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City/Region: United States of America

Time Period: 1865 | 1866

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Sarah Josepha Hale was the editor of the extremely popular monthly publication Godey’s Lady’s Book, the writer of Mary Had a Little Lamb, and a passionate advocate for the Thanksgiving holiday. After decades of her efforts, including writing letters to officials and presidents and promoting the idea in Godey’s, President Lincoln finally issued the proclamation that would make Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.

This tart, from the October 1866 edition of Godey’s, is simple but delicious. I was worried that there weren't enough cranberries, but the flavor really comes through. You could add a bit of spice if you wish, but I don’t think it needs it. The crust, from an earlier edition of Godey’s, is difficult to work with, but delicious enough to be worth it.

“Pie-Crust.—For Fruit Pies: Take one pound of dried flour, and one pound of butter, well squeezed in a clean cloth, to get the salt out. Break the butter with your fingers amongst the flour, as fine as possible, and then with a little cold water mix into a tolerably stiff paste. Gently roll it, passing the roller in one direction only—from you. After this lightly fold it over, and set it aside for a quarter of an hour in a cool place; then repeat the rolling in the same manner, and let it stand another quarter of an hour. This is to be repeated once more. Be sure to handle it as little as possible, and to keep it cool. Bake in a quick oven.”

— Sarah Josepha Hale, Godey’s Lady’s Book, March 1865

“Cranberry Tart.—Take half a pint of cranberries, pick them from the stems and throw them into a saucepan with half a pound of white sugar and a spoonful of water; let them come to a boil; then retire them to stand on the hob while you peel and cut up four large apples; put a rim of light paste round your dish; strew in the apples; pour the cranberries over them; cover with a lid of crust, and bake for an hour. For a pudding, proceed in the same manner with the fruit, and boil it in a basin or cloth.”

— Sarah Josepha Hale, Godey’s Lady’s Book, October 1866

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Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 pound (450 g) cold salted butter, cut into little cubes
• 450 g all-purpose flour
• A few tablespoons of cold water, more or less as needed

Filling

• 1 1/8 cup (225 g) sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/4 cup (120 g) fresh cranberries
• 4 Granny Smith or other good baking apples

Instructions:

1. For the crust: In a large bowl, add the cold butter to the flour. Work the butter into the flour with your fingers until it’s evenly mixed and there are no large pieces of butter left. You want to work quickly here so that the butter doesn’t warm up and soften too much.
2. Add a couple tablespoons of water and mix. You only want to add enough water to have the dough come together. The less water, the better. If you can squeeze it together and it holds its shape, that’s enough.
3. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll them out on a lightly floured surface until they’re discs about the thickness of your thumb. For extra authenticity, only roll in one direction: away from you. Wrap the discs in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. Once the dough is rested and chilled, take the larger disc out and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. The high butter content of the dough makes it delicate, so roll it out as thin as you can manage, or big enough to cover the bottom and sides of a pie dish with a little overhang. A regular (not deep dish) pie pan is best for this pie.
5. Gently lift the dough and place it in the pie dish. Lift and gently press the dough into the corners of the dish, you don’t want to stretch it at all. Place the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
6. For the filling: Combine the sugar, water, and cranberries in a saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat to speed up the process, it’s really easy to burn the sugar. When the sugar has melted, stir it to coat the cranberries and continue to heat the mixture until it comes to a low boil. Boil it for 2 minutes, then take it off the heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the apples.
7. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
8. Peel the apples and slice them thinly. Take the pie pan out of the fridge and layer the apples evenly in the dish.
9. Pour the cranberries and syrup over the apples, distributing it as evenly as possible.
10. Take the smaller disc of dough out of the fridge and roll it out just like the first. Cut the dough into a disc the size of the top of the pie, and set it on top of the filling.
11. Pull the overhang of the bottom crust up over the top crust, trimming any excess. Crimp the edges to seal the pie, and cut a few vents in the top of the pie to let the steam out.
12. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and bake for another 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling out of the vents. If you have a thermometer, it should reach an internal temperature of 195 to 200°F (90-95°C).
13. Set the pie on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving it forth.

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