Markus requested an Orange Pie for Easter, so we had to make one.
We brought it to Easter lunch at my parents in law, and the overall conclusion was that it was a good pie, but more of an adult pie than a kid friendly pie. My kids found the orange filling a bit too intense (it does retain some bitterness from the oranges), but both really liked the crust. It was particularly popular with those adults that like orange jam!
Ingredients:
Pie Dough:
300 g all purpose flour
50 g sugar
½ tsp. fine salt
200 g cold butter, cubed
50 ml ice cold water
Ingredients orange filling:
6 organic oranges
1 vanilla pod
250 g sugar
350 ml water
For brushing and decoration: 1 Egg white and coarse sugar
Prepare the dough:
Mix flour, sugar and salt and work the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the texture resembles coarse sand. Add the cold water and combine to a dough. Form 2 discs, wrap them individually in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
Prepare the filling:
Wash and dry the oranges well and slice them in 4-5 mm thick slices. Discard the end slices.
Slice the vanilla bean in half, and use a small knife or teaspoon to remove the seeds. Add the vanilla pod, the seeds to a pot along with sugar and water. Bring to the boil and boil the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved, add the orange slices and simmer at a low heat for 45 minutes. Check it the orange peel is tender, if not simmer for 5 more minutes and check again, until the orange peels are tender.
Drain the orange slices and return the sugar syrup to the pot and boil for about 10 minutes, until a thin sirupy consistency. Pour into a bowl and let it cool.
Assemble the pie:
Roll one disc of pie dough to about 4 mm thickness and place in a pie tin/tart pan (28 cm in diameter). Place in the fridge.
Roll the other disc out and cut into 1 cm strips. Place the strips in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Celsius
Remove the pie tin from the fridge and brush the entire surface of the dough with egg white. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes, then remove and brush again. Place in the fridge for another 10 minutes.
Remove the pie tin from the fridge. Spread the orange slices in the pie tin and pour the syrup over the slices. Remove the dough strips from the fridge and make a lattice lid on the pie, pinching the edges well. Brush the pie with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Place the pie in the oven, and turn the oven down to 180 degrees Celsius. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden.
Serve warm or cool with sour cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
