11.30.2008

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie

Did You Know? Early American colonists made grey paint by boiling blueberries in milk.

Here's a recipe for one of the many pies I made for Thanksgiving last Thursday. This particular blueberry pie was really flavorful. The fresh berries remained pretty much in tact, but obtained a much sweeter flavor throughout the baking process. It was juicy and bright purple, and everything a homemade fruit pie should be. The lattice crust really sent it over the top, but you could simply drape a dough round on top. Either way, you won't be disappointed...


Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pate Brisee (or your favorite double-crust recipe)
4 pints blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A few dashes of cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Roll out one of the dough rounds, on a lightly floured surface, into a 12-inch circle and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Roll the other round in the same manner (or cut it into strips for a lattice crust) and place on a baking sheet. Freeze both top and bottom for 30 minutes.

Place blueberries in a large bowl. With your hands, crush about 1 cup of the berries. Add sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice; stir to combine. Spoon mixture into chilled pie shell, mounding berries slightly in the center. Dot with butter. Drape the top crust over the blueberry filling, or style the top as you wish. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.

Using a paring knife, cut several vents in the top of dough to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream. Brush surface with egg wash, being careful not to let it pool. Freeze the pie for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third.

Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. The pie is best eaten the day it is baked.


4 comments:

  1. Beautiful pie!!!! I had a blackberry cobbler the other day that was out of this world...with vanilla ice cream! Thanks for checking out my blog! You inspired me to go with the 3-column look.

    http://blondeappetit.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks so much, and your blog is beautiful...I've added some of your favorite things to my Chrismas list!

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