Faux cranberry apple " pie"

This turned out soooo delicious even I was surprised--  very low carb and yet sweet/tart just like you want a fruit pie to be!
This tastes somewhere between a strawberry rhubarb pie and a cherry pie/ and a little apple-y too--yummy

I have not been able to EVER make a decent fruit pie low carb enough using traditional methods.  The low carb crusts always just soaked up the juice from the fruit and turned into a soggy unpleasant mess.   and the thickeners available--if you are baking the fruit in the oven as in a traditional pie--ie tapica, cornstarch, flour etc--are just too high carb. and the low carb thickeners--the gums or gelatin for example-- need different kinds of handling.  eventually I figured out that there is nothing magical about a pie shape or even a bottom crust.  they eveolved because you had PASTRY that could hold the filling. If you don't have that available to you--then how MIGHT you create the tastes and enjoyment of pie but using the ingredients that you DO have available on a low carb plan.

So now I make my "pies"  with no bottom crust--saves a bunch of carbs.  And cook the filling on the top of the stove--not in the oven.  if I want a real pretty presentation that LOOKS like a pie--I put the whole thing into a pie pan and arrange low carb pie crust shapes--pre-baked in the oven-- on TOP, where they don't get soggy.  

This pie is my favorite!!!  A serving of the filling--based on 8 servings comes in at under 2 grams!  a crust cookie adds another 2 or so for a dessert that is truly low carb and truly TASTY!


For the fruit filling:

5 cup zucchini   peeled seeded and chopped --about 5 medium zucchini
       
1 1/2 cup of raw cranberries

one cup sweetener equivalent  --I used about 1/4 cup xylitol and 18 drops liquid sucrolose sweetener

2 envelopes sugar free spiced apple cider mix--I get Alpine brand at my local supermarket but not
         everybody carries it--try on-line.
water 
xanthan gum
1-2 tablespoons of butter (optional)

Put zucchini and cranberries into a medium saucepan with enough water to come about halfway up the mixture. add the sweetener and the apple cider mix.  bring to boil and stir occasionally for about 5- 10 minutes until zucchini is soft and cranberries have popped and softened .  remove from heat and drain all the liquid into a heat proof container or bowl ( i use a large pyrex measuring cup--the 2 quart size--but whatever you have that will hold all the juice with room to spare)

add the butter to the fruit at this point if desired and set the fruit aside for a minute.

Thicken the juice with xathan gum--it only takes about 1 tespoon to thicken 4 cups to the desired consistency and if you use too much it will get slimy.  Go slowly.  Sprinkle the thickener on the top of the juice a TINY bit at a time, whisking like MAD!!! (or use an immersion blender or electric mixer) You WILL get small clumps-- just let it sit for a while and whisk again. Depending on how much juice you end up with, start by adding only about 1/2 teaspoon then let the whole thing sit for 5 minutes until it has thickened and only then add more if it it too " juicy".

Once the juice is thickened  to you liking, add it back to the fruit--but only as much as you need to make it a  like a pie--you will probably have more than you need-- just discard the rest ( unless you can think of some use for it... I couldn't, LOL)

for the crust: use this recipe or any one you like

2/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup white flour
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/3 tablespoons cold water
pinch salt
drop splenda if desired

mix flours and salt together. Cut in butter till mixture looks like coarse meal.  Toss water in a tablespoon at a time until mixture holds together (add the splenda to the water before you add it in)

roll out thin and either roll to a circle and cut into pie shaped wedges or just roll out and cut with cookie cutters into appropriate shapes--I like to use autumn leaf shapes




put the filling into a pie pan with no bottom crust.  Arrange the crust shapes  prettily on top and you are done!  Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream for a GREAT dessert.

 This probably doesn't need rerigeration for a day or so.

  If you are not going to serve this at a dinner or somewhere where presentation matters,  don't bother with putting in a pie pan.  just put the  fruit into any container you like  in the fridge and put the crust cookies into an airtight container in your cupboard or breadbox or wherever you store such things.  Warm up a serving of fruit in the microwave, put a crust " cookie" on top and enjoy.