Cranberry Chiffon Pie

Have you ever had a recipe immediately capture your interest? This pie recipe called to me as soon as I saw it. The color was gorgeous and I've always wanted to cook with fresh cranberries. I'd never made a chiffon or worked with gelatin before. I needed to make it immediately. So I did.

 It was a bit messy and labor intensive but it has such a fun flavor and texture. 

It looked like I murdered someone in my kitchen....

 My day's work in the kitchen! Pie and Bread.

 I like making pies because you can make them look pretty in no time at all. After decorating three cupcakes I get bored. My perfectionism and cake frosting don't get along that well. But pies, pies are where it's at right now.

Cranberry Chiffon Pie

(from Saveur Magazine)

Ingredients:
Dough for 1 pie
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1⅔ cups sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cranberry juice
½ tsp. Kosher salt
1 tbsp. cranberry liqueur
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. unflavored powdered gelatin
1 egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Bake dough according to directions.
2. Bring 1½ cups cranberries, ½ cup sugar, plus cranberry juice and salt to a simmer in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and soften, 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender with cranberry liqueur and lemon juice; purée until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids; chill.
3. Combine gelatin and 3 tbsp. ice-cold water in a bowl; let sit to soften gelatin, about 5 minutes. Beat ⅓ cup sugar with egg yolk and milk in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thick, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin and cranberry mixtures until smooth. Transfer custard to a bowl and place a layer of plastic wrap directly over the surface to prevent a skin from forming; chill until just beginning to set at edges, about 30 minutes.
4. Whisk egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir ¼ of the whites into chilled custard; using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whites to combine. Pour filling over dough; using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer. Chill, uncovered, until set, about 1 hour.
5. Spread ⅓ cup sugar on a plate. Boil remaining ½ cup sugar with ½ cup water in a 2-qt. saucepan until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining cranberries. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to plate; roll in sugar and scatter over top of pie. Whip cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form; using a spoon, dollop cream in center of pie.