Yesterday's post was all about the U.S. flag with special emphasis on the red and white. I mentioned that the white stars on the blue background were meant to represent a constellation. The early leaders meant this to symbolize our country's place as a sovereign power. Today's blueberry pie is constellation-esque with its white pastry stars in the blueberry "sky".
I actually made this pie for a friend's bday party. Her birthday falls in December around Christmas when no one is around so we celebrated her birthday early as a surprise in July! I wasn't quite sure how it would come out but I was thrilled with the result.
Blueberry Pie
I started with making a double recipe of the one crust pie crust I posted previously. For convenience sake, I'm reposting it here too.
Pie Crust (1 crust): DOUBLE THIS RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 c. flour
½ tsp salt
3 rounded Tbsp Crisco (shortening)
3 Tbsp ice water
How To:
Measure flour and salt into a large bowl. Blend shortening into flour and salt with a pastry blender or fork until it reaches the consistency of heavy cornmeal. Add water 1 tablespoonful at a time, tossing wet and dry ingredients together with blender until all the flour is moistened. Turn out on floured board. Roll into a circle 1/8 to ¼ inch thick and large enough to allow 1 to 1 ½ inches hanging over the edge of the pie tin. Fold up and back to make an upright rim and flute with fingers. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Place another tin the same size over the crust. Bake 12 minutes at 450 F until browned at the bottom. Remove upper tin and allow inside of crust to brown.
This crust can be rolled thinly and make enough for 2 crusts. Some days, though, I'm better off making a double recipe. This was a double recipe sort of day. (Actually, it was more than that but for this pie, it was a double recipe.)
I rolled out the main dough and laid it in the bottom of the pie crust. Then I pinched small bits and made a ring of triangular nubs all around the top of the pie.
Blueberry Pie Filling (adapted from Williams and Sonoma Baking)
Ingredients
4 c. blueberries
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (this should be the amount from an average lemon)
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
1 Tbsp lemon zest (the zest from an average lemon)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
For topping the crust:
1 Tbsp butter, cut into small bits
How To:
1. Place the blueberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss gently to cover all.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, corn starch, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the blueberries and toss gently to distribute well.
4. Pour into the dough prepared pan.
Assembly of Top
Roll out the other half of the dough.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out as many of the shapes as you can and begin placing them on top of the filling. Start with the outside border. If you can connect them to the edge of the crust, it'll stay connected better for you after baking. Overlap each star a little but be sure to leave holes for 1) the blueberries to peak through 2) the functional purpose of releasing steam from the pie.
Wad up the remaining dough and roll it out again until you've cut out as many stars as possible. Continue covering the filling until you've worked your way to the center. Place one star (or shape of your choice) in the center.
Top the crust with the small bits of butter. I used one blob per star.
Bake at 375 F for 50 - 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool completely (1-2 hours) to serve.
It will slice more easily if cooled. If you don't care about the slices, serve it hot. I'd recommend this pie warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream.
Reaction:
I loved it. My friend enjoyed it too. Another friend said it reminded him of the blueberry pie his grandma used to make and it was his favorite pie ever. His only complaint was the lack of notice so that he could've brought vanilla ice cream to go on it. (I had no idea it was so essential...but he was right. Most fruit pie is even better with a scoop of vanilla. I made sure to add that to the serving notes.) This pie had a taste of the tang from the lemon. My friend Lauren would've preferred less tang. The best way to reduce the lemon tang is to only zest half the lemon. Some prefer tang, some don't. To each her own. If your friends or family like blueberry, I'd encourage you to try this pie. Adjust the tang to suit your group.
Happy Fourth of July!
I actually made this pie for a friend's bday party. Her birthday falls in December around Christmas when no one is around so we celebrated her birthday early as a surprise in July! I wasn't quite sure how it would come out but I was thrilled with the result.
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| Blueberry Pie |
Blueberry Pie
I started with making a double recipe of the one crust pie crust I posted previously. For convenience sake, I'm reposting it here too.
Pie Crust (1 crust): DOUBLE THIS RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 c. flour
½ tsp salt
3 rounded Tbsp Crisco (shortening)
3 Tbsp ice water
How To:
Measure flour and salt into a large bowl. Blend shortening into flour and salt with a pastry blender or fork until it reaches the consistency of heavy cornmeal. Add water 1 tablespoonful at a time, tossing wet and dry ingredients together with blender until all the flour is moistened. Turn out on floured board. Roll into a circle 1/8 to ¼ inch thick and large enough to allow 1 to 1 ½ inches hanging over the edge of the pie tin. Fold up and back to make an upright rim and flute with fingers. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Place another tin the same size over the crust. Bake 12 minutes at 450 F until browned at the bottom. Remove upper tin and allow inside of crust to brown.
This crust can be rolled thinly and make enough for 2 crusts. Some days, though, I'm better off making a double recipe. This was a double recipe sort of day. (Actually, it was more than that but for this pie, it was a double recipe.)
I rolled out the main dough and laid it in the bottom of the pie crust. Then I pinched small bits and made a ring of triangular nubs all around the top of the pie.
Blueberry Pie Filling (adapted from Williams and Sonoma Baking)
Ingredients
4 c. blueberries
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (this should be the amount from an average lemon)
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
1 Tbsp lemon zest (the zest from an average lemon)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
For topping the crust:
1 Tbsp butter, cut into small bits
How To:
1. Place the blueberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss gently to cover all.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, corn starch, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the blueberries and toss gently to distribute well.
4. Pour into the dough prepared pan.
Assembly of Top
Roll out the other half of the dough.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out as many of the shapes as you can and begin placing them on top of the filling. Start with the outside border. If you can connect them to the edge of the crust, it'll stay connected better for you after baking. Overlap each star a little but be sure to leave holes for 1) the blueberries to peak through 2) the functional purpose of releasing steam from the pie.
Wad up the remaining dough and roll it out again until you've cut out as many stars as possible. Continue covering the filling until you've worked your way to the center. Place one star (or shape of your choice) in the center.
Top the crust with the small bits of butter. I used one blob per star.
Bake at 375 F for 50 - 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool completely (1-2 hours) to serve.
It will slice more easily if cooled. If you don't care about the slices, serve it hot. I'd recommend this pie warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream.
Reaction:
I loved it. My friend enjoyed it too. Another friend said it reminded him of the blueberry pie his grandma used to make and it was his favorite pie ever. His only complaint was the lack of notice so that he could've brought vanilla ice cream to go on it. (I had no idea it was so essential...but he was right. Most fruit pie is even better with a scoop of vanilla. I made sure to add that to the serving notes.) This pie had a taste of the tang from the lemon. My friend Lauren would've preferred less tang. The best way to reduce the lemon tang is to only zest half the lemon. Some prefer tang, some don't. To each her own. If your friends or family like blueberry, I'd encourage you to try this pie. Adjust the tang to suit your group.
Happy Fourth of July!
That pie looks delish!!
ReplyDeleteI love blueberries and just seeing them in pie form makes my mouth water.