blueberry pie
 
blueberry pie

My husband is a huge fan of double crust pies...as am I, when the fruit is fresh. Finding fresh berries at the market made me make this.

ingredients:

  2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
  2 tablespoons sugar
  ½ teaspoon salt
  2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
  8 tablespoons ice water (+/- depending on weather and humidity)
  4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  5 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

directions:

1. In food processor, blend together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and shortening and pulse a few times, until cut into pea-sized pieces. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing in between each addition, until dough just starts to come together. Remove from processor to lightly floured surface and bring together into one ball. Cut in half and form each half into disks. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

2. Pre-heat oven to 375F. In large bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons flour, brown sugar cinnamon and blueberries. Coat berries with dry ingredients. Set aside

3. Remove dough from refrigerator to lightly floured surface. If it is tough to roll, leave for 10 minutes at room temperature. Roll out to 1/8" thick and line the pie dish with the pastry. Trim the edges. Pour blueberries into piecrust and set aside.

4. Remove second disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out the same as the first. Transfer to top pie and trim edges. Finish as desired and dock top of pie with a "B" for blueberry. Wash lightly with egg or milk and sprinkle with demererra sugar.

5. Bake in 375F oven for about 55 minutes or until crust is golden brown and berries are bubbling inside. Cool and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

after-thoughts:

I used my food processor to make this really simple pastry - it is the best thing to ensure the butter and shortening are cut up into small, pea-sized pieces. It does make it a tad difficult to judge when you've added enough water, but practice, I'm sure, will make for a perfect crust.

recipe origin: * pastry recipe is from Williams Sonoma's 'Essentials of Baking'