Striped Berry Pie Food

AMERICAN FLAG BERRY PIE

Steps:

• Roll out the first chilled pie crust into a 12-inch circle. Gently place the crust into a 9 or 10-inch deep pie dish, carefully pressing the dough into the bottom and up the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400º F with a rack in the middle.
• Remove the second crust from the fridge and roll into a 12-inch circle. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the dough lengthwise into stripes. Use a star cookie cutter to cut some stars. Place the designs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and freeze while you prepare the filling.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the potato starch and sugar. Reserve.
• Place the strawberries in a large bowl and the blueberries in a medium bowl. Add ⅔ of the sugar mixture to the strawberries and the remaining ⅓ to the blueberries. Mix with a spoon so the berries are coated with the mixture.
• Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the strawberries and the remaining 2 teaspoons to the blueberries. Mix to combine. Let the berries sit for at least 5 minutes to release the excess liquids.
• Fold a piece of aluminum foil to form a thick and long strip. Place it into the pie dish, blocking off a 90° wedge of the crust. Spread the blueberries into that smaller section and the strawberries into the larger section. Carefully remove the foil, arranging the berries so they don't invade each other's spaces.
• Remove the flag designs from the freezer and arrange on top of the berries. The stars go over the blueberries and the strips over the strawberries.
• Make an egg wash by whisking one egg with 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush over the crust and designs. If desired, sprinkle the crust and designs with sugar.
• Cover the edges of the pie with a crust shield or foil.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove the shield and lower the heat to 375º F. Continue baking for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
• Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for at least one hour before serving.

TRIPLE BERRY PIE

Steps:

• Ease one disc of pie dough into an ungreased 9-inch pie pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
• Combine the brown sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Rub together until fully incorporated. Add the cornstarch, nutmeg and salt and mix well. Add the raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and gently toss to coat with the sugar mixture. Set aside.
• To make a stencil, print out a Pi symbol that is about 4 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches. Trace the symbol onto the back of a paper plate. Cut out the symbol. You now have your template.
• Place a disc of dough on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the pie crust and place the template in the center. Cut out the Pi symbol and remove it carefully from the disc. Leave the remaining dough on the work surface.
• Add the lemon juice to the bowl of berries and gently toss until incorporated.
• Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator and spoon the berry mixture into it. Top the pie with the disc of dough you cut the Pi symbol from. Seal the edges and use a paring knife trim away any excess dough. Place the pie in the freezer.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly dust your work surface again with flour if needed. Place the third disc of dough on the surface. Punch out six each of the following, making the digits about 2 inches high: 3 •̣ 1 4.
• Make an egg wash by beating the egg and 1 tablespoon water until smooth in a small bowl. Remove the pie from the freezer and brush the top with the egg wash. Place the numbers and dots around the edges of the pie in this order 3 • 14, repeating until you have used them all. Brush the top with egg wash again.
• Place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 50 minutes. Allow the pie to cool completely on the sheet pan before slicing.

THREE BERRY PIE

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture, then gently toss with a fork. Push moistened portion to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until all is moistened. Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Transfer one piece of dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough from the center to the edges to form a 12-inch circle. Wrap the crust around the rolling pin. Unroll it onto a 9-inch pie plate. Ease the crust into the pie plate, being careful not to stretch it. Trim the bottom crust evenly with the rim of the pie plate, and return the pastry-lined pie plate to the refrigerator.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries; gently toss until berries are coated. Allow fruit mixture to stand for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
• Roll out the remaining pastry for the top crust. Stir the berry mixture and pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie plate. Place the top crust over the pie and trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust, pressing lightly to seal. Crimp the edges of the crust and cut vents in the top to allow steam to escape. To prevent over-browning, cover the edge of the pie with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the baking tray for 25 minutes. Remove the foil.
• Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack.

BUCKWHEAT BERRY STRIPED CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the bottom with a round of parchment, and butter that as well.
• In a large bowl, whisk together almond, all-purpose, whole wheat and buckwheat flours, baking powder and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in buttermilk. (The mixture will look curdled, and that's O.K.) Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing and leveling the top. Place berries on top of batter and sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar.
• Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack and unmold. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve, with whipped cream if you like.

STRIPED BERRY PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disk of dough into a circle about ¼-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate, preferably ceramic, and press it in lightly, making sure it's lining the plate.
• Trim so that there's about ½ inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Dock the base and sides all over with a fork and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
• Place a rack on the bottom shelf of the oven, and place a baking stone, if you have one, on the rack. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a small brush to evenly paint egg wash on the edge of the crust. Cut a square of parchment paper and use it to line the crust. Fill with pie weights (or dried beans) up to the top edge. Place the plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake crust until the outer edge is just starting to turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights, and continue to bake until the base appears set, 2 to 4 minutes more. If the dough puffs up anywhere, you can puncture it with a fork. Cool the crust completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Make the blackberry filling: Mix the blackberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down, 8 to 10 minutes. Mash with a potato masher or large fork until the mixture resembles a coarse purée. You should have 1 ¾ cup (if you have more or less, see Note below). In a small bowl, whisk the remaining sugar and cornstarch to combine. Add to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. (The filling should be thick, like jam from a jar at room temperature; it will thicken slightly more when cooled, as will the two other berry fillings below.) Cool completely, then whisk in vanilla and cream. Set filling aside and rinse out the pot.
• Make the raspberry filling: Mix the raspberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to soften and break down, about 3 to 5 minutes. Mash until the mixture resembles a coarse purée. You should have 2 cups of purée (if you have more or less, see Note). In a small bowl, whisk the remaining sugar and cornstarch to combine. Add to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool completely, then whisk in vanilla and cream. Set filling aside and rinse out the pot.
• Make the strawberry filling: Mix the berries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to soften and break down, 4 to 5 minutes. Mash until the mixture resembles a very coarse purée. You should have 1 ¾ cups of purée (if you have more or less, see Note). In a small bowl, whisk the remaining sugar and cornstarch to combine. Add to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool completely, then whisk in vanilla and cream.
• Working with one filling at a time, spoon each filling into the crust in thick stripes: Put the blackberry and strawberry fillings (the two sides) in first, using a little more than half of each. Then spoon the full amount of the raspberry filling into the center. After the raspberry is in, spoon the remaining blackberry and strawberry fillings on top on their respective sides. Take care to fill just to the inner edge of the crust (you may have leftover filling). The fillings should be thick enough that they stay where you put them, but a small amount of spreading is normal. Use the tip of a knife to swirl the fillings wherever they meet, then use a small offset spatula or a silicone spatula to spread them evenly flat.
• Place the pie plate on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet and transfer it to the 400-degree oven, placing directly on top of the baking stone if using. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling appears evenly set on the surface, 35 to 40 minutes; start checking the pie after 30 minutes of baking to be sure it doesn't bubble over. When ready, the surface will form a skin and look set, but it will move slightly when the pie is wiggled. If the crust or the surface of the berries begin to look too dark, tent the pie with foil in the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
• Let pie cool completely on a rack, at least 5 hours, before serving. The pie is best the day it is baked; store leftovers at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.