CRANBERRY CURD PIE WITH MERINGUE TOPPING

Cranberry Curd Pie with Meringue Topping image

This is cranberry curd pie made easy with the addition of one surprisingly convenient ingredient - canned cranberry sauce. The curd has the ideal balance of tart and sweet, and once it's topped with a pillowy mound of meringue, the pie is a real show stopper. For extra flair, use a kitchen torch to brulee the meringue before serving. What's more, the pie can be made a day before serving, for a perfect make-ahead dessert when entertaining.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories dessert

Time 8h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 sheet refrigerated pie dough, thawed if frozen
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated orange zest plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch kosher salt
Two 14-ounce cans jellied cranberry sauce
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Steps:

Preheat the oven according to the pie-dough package instructions for "Baked Shell." Unroll the pie dough, fit it into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork and bake as directed. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Separate 4 of the eggs, reserving the egg whites for the meringue. Add the egg yolks, remaining 2 whole eggs, orange zest and juice, salt, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the jellied cranberry sauce to a medium pot. Add the butter, set the pot over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the butter is melted and the curd has thickened and reached a temperature of 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture into a large bowl, then pour into the cooled pie crust. Bake until the curd is just starting to set but still jiggly in the center, 10 to 12 minutes.
Let the pie cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until the curd is chilled and completely set, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, make the meringue. Beat the reserved 4 egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream of tartar and then gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, a spoonful at a time. Whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is glossy and holds a stiff peak when the whisk is lifted, 8 to 10 minutes.
Dollop the meringue over the pie in an even layer. Use a kitchen torch if desired to brulee the top.