118 ml (4 ounces) lard, chilled, plus additional for greasing pie pan
150-180 ml (10-12 tablespoons) very cold water
For the filling:
3 medium to large apples, peeled and cut into small pieces
177 ml (¾ cup) fresh or dried cranberries
60 grams (½ cup) chopped pecans or walnuts
1 pinch cinnamon
15 ml (1 tablespoon) fine tapioca
7.5 ml (1½ teaspoons) lemon juice
177 ml (¾ cup) honey
43 grams (3 tablespoons) butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
30 ml (2 tablespoons) maple sugar
Preparation
1. For the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and lard. Blend with your fingers, adding water slowly until dough is formed. Do not overwork the dough; it is preferred if some lard can still be seen in the dough. Grease a 23 cm (9-inch) pie pan, roll out the dough, and place in the pan.
2. For the filling: Preheat oven to 190° C (375° F). In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, cranberries, nuts, cinnamon, tapioca, lemon juice, and 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of the honey. Melt the butter in a saucepan over very low heat and stir in the remaining honey.
3. Remove saucepan from heat and add the beaten eggs. Stir to blend, then fold into the other ingredients. Pour into the piecrust and sprinkle the top with the maple sugar. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Laurie Mraz Zwaan is from Middlebury, Vermont. Having lived in New York City, both Carolinas, and Florida, she and her family landed in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1997. Now that her children are grown, she works as the office manager in her husband’s medical practice. In her spare time she enjoys cooking and playing the fiddle.