CARISSA'S RECIPE: 
Cranberry Pear Pie with Maple Meringue 

Pie Crust:

1 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
10 Tablespoons Butter (cold)
4 Tablespoons Ice Water

Mix flour and salt. Blend in cold, cubed butter until mixture looks sandy. Mix in ice water and fold by hand to fully incorporate. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 10 minutes, and then roll into a 9” pie shell.

Pie Filling:

2 ½ lbs Ripe Pears
6 Cups Cranberries
¾ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 ½ Teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
1 Vanilla Bean
2 Tablespoons Butter

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut pears into large slices and mix with cranberries, ginger and scraped vanilla bean. In a separate bowl thoroughly mix the dark brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Combine fruit mix and dry ingredients and pour into prepared pie shell. Place small cubes of butter evenly spaced over the top of the filling. Bake for one hour until cranberries have burst and pie is bubbling. Cover pie with foil if the crust is browning too quickly. 

Maple Meringue:

1 Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Cup Dark Maple Syrup
¾ Cup Egg Whites

Combine all ingredients in a metal mixing bowl over a boiling water bath. Whisk until mixture is hot to the touch, and then transfer to a stand mixer. Whisk on high speed until shiny stiff peaks form. Pipe the meringue mixture onto cooled pie. Use torch to brulee meringue or place pie in broiler until meringue is light / golden brown.