Tag: Blueberry

There is nothing better than a wonderful, homemade blueberry pie. Most people don’t attempt pies because they feel daunted by them, but they’re simple when you come right down to it. Here, we’ll go over both the pie crust recipe and the filling, so you’ll have everything you need, including notes.  

Pie Crust

Make two batches, so you’ll have a top crust as well. You can get as fancy as you want.  

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, chilled and cubed (1 stick)
• ¼ cup ice water

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a fork or a pastry cutter for this process. (Note: you could use oats as well here here for a different texture.)
3. Stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a ball of rough dough.
4. Shape it into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. Resist the temptation to overwork the dough. It will be tough if you do.  

Blueberry Pie

You can use frozen blueberries since the peak of freshness is sometime in late summer. Simply thaw them and pick out any unsightly ones.  

Ingredients

• ¾ cup brown sugar. White may be substituted if desired.
• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, and thawed.  
• 1 tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Juice and zest of one lemon
• 2 tbsp butter to dot

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, spices, salt, lemon zest and juice, and berries.  
2. Let stand for 15 minutes or more.  
3. While that is setting up, you’ll want to roll out your pie crust. Start with a well-floured surface and the chilled disc of dough.  
4. Work the dough slightly to loosen it up. Then, making sure both surfaces of the dough and your rolling pin are coated with flour, begin working out from the center.  
5. It will take some time to get it to the ¼-inch thickness desired, but it’s worth it. (Working from the center makes sure you don’t have a thicker piece of dough in the center.)  
6. Gently roll your pie crust up on your rolling pin and deposit it over the dish, situating it precisely. Cut excess that hangs over the sides.  
7. Do the same with your top pie crust, whether you’re slicing ribbons to make a lattice or using the entire crust.
8. Spoon the filling into the prepared pie crust, getting all the juices from the bottom of the bowl.  
9. Dot the filling with butter bits.  
10. Whether you’re laying lattice or using the whole top crust, now is the time. Arrange it to your satisfaction. If you’re using the whole crust, be sure to cut some vents in the top. No matter what design you go with, if any, it will look delicious! 
11. Now, cut the top crust or lattice to match the first and crimp it. You can do this any way you like, what matters is that the two crusts are sealed.  
12. (You may use egg wash or milk, depending upon your preferences.) Egg wash the top crust and sprinkle with sugar.  
13. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit on a parchment-lined baking tray. (Yes, there will be juices!) Cover the edges of the pie with foil for the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning. Let stand at room temperature for at least an hour.  

And there you have it, a fresh pie made by you, from crust to crimping. If this was your first time making a pie, just know that it gets easier as you do it more. And of course, remember that the important thing is that it tastes delicious. Whether it’s a gift for someone or a gift for yourself, you’ve done great!