Blueberry Pie

I have to say that Summer is my favorite time of year. It’s when we are surrounded by all the colors that nature has to offer. The trees have there leaves, the flowers are in bloom and we have a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at our disposal. This is when I enjoy going to my local farm to get locally grown produce. Now my favorite way to do this, is to go to a you pick farm. Wether it be strawberries, peaches or tomatoes, its a fun day out spent with family.

Being that it is early July, and the blueberry bushes are bent over from the weight of the plump blueberries that load each branch, told me it was now time to go blueberry picking and what a successful day it was. The bushes were packed with sweet juicy blueberries and I must say we got our fare share of them. These berries were perfect for topping a bowl of cereal, incorporating into a dessert or just as is for a healthy nutritious snack. Because we had such an abundance, I decided to bake a pie, and I must say it was a perfect use for them. I mean who wouldn’t love sweet juicy blueberries surrounded by a buttery flaky crust.

Crust:

Let’s talk crust. I am sure I am going to have some haters for saying what I’m about to say but, I do not believe in using shortening in my crusts. There are some who say that you can’t get a flaky crust without using shortening, I disagree. I use 100% butter in all my crust and each and every time I get a flaky crust. The key to a flaky crust is temperature. When making a crust you want your ingredients to be ice cold, this will ensure a buttery flaky crust every time.

Tips For Making The Best Blueberry Pie

• Crust: If you want to make a flaky crust, the key is to have very cold ingredients. I like to cut my butter into small cubes and place them in a bowl in the freezer until I’m ready to use them. This way you can insure that the butter will be ice cold when you’re ready. I also suggest making the crust in advance so that it has time to chill.
• Egg Wash: You want to brush your crust with a mixture of egg and water whisked together to form a wash. Doing this will make your crust golden in color as it bakes.
• Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this pie filling. If using frozen, there will be no need to defrost them before using.
• Baking: I will definitely suggest baking this pie on a foil lined baking sheet. Once this pie bakes, the blueberries will release there juices and could possible drip over the edge of the pie plate.. Having a foil lined baking sheet under the pie will catch any juices that might escape.
• Pie Guard: If the edges of the pie start to burn, place a pie guard on the pie to protect it. If you don’t have a pie guard, then just cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil. This can be done by folding a 12” piece of aluminum foil in half, then fold it in half once again. Hold the square of aluminum foil by all the raw edges with point facing up. Remove 3”s off the top of the tip in a half circle. Open the folded square and there should be a square of aluminum with a circular hole removed from the center. Place over the pie and gently crimp around the edges to secure.
• When It’s done: You will know the pie is done when the crust has turned golden brown in color and the blueberries have released their juices. This pie needs to cool completely before slicing, giving the juices a chance to set. If sliced into prematurely, the pie will be runny.

Ingredients Needed For Making A Blueberry Pie

For The Crust:

• Flour: All purpose flour is the way to go.
• Butter: No shortening in this recipe. Just plain unsalted butter. Just remember to keep it cold until ready to use.
• Salt: A pinch of salt in sweet recipes goes a long way. It will enhance all the flavors
• Water: The colder the better. I like to put some ice cubes in my water to get it even colder.
• Egg: This is to brush on top of the crust so that when baked it becomes golden in color.

For The Filling:

• Blueberries: Of course, the star of the show. You can use fresh or frozen, I prefer fresh but if you are using frozen there is no need to defrost them.
• Lemon: Zest and juice, because lemon and blueberries go great together
• Sugar: Granulated sugar works perfect for this recipe.
• Ground Cinnamon: This will add a warm spiciness to your pie.
• Flour & Cornstarch: These will help thicken the blueberry filling.
• Butter: Unsalted will be perfect. A couple of cubes of butter will add a bit of richness to the filling.

For Serving:

• Allow this pie to cool completely before serving. If this pie is sliced into prematurely, it will become runny.
• I like to serve this pie with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is a great alternative.
• Wether you serve this pie with whipped cream or ice cream, I like to drizzle the top with any loose blueberries or juice that may be at the bottom of the pie plate.