The Best Blueberry Pie Food

THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For The Pie Dough:
• Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses.
• Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour.
• Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade; Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses.
• Empty mixture into medium bowl.
• Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture.
• With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together.
• Divide dough into 2 even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk; wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
• Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side.
• Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand.
• Leave dough that overhangs plate in place; refrigerate while preparing filling until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• For The Filling:
• Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place 3 cups berries in medium saucepan and set over medium heat.
• Using potato masher, mash berries several times to release juices. (Note: If using frozen berries, see note in recipe description above).
• Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Place grated apple in clean kitchen towel and wring dry; transfer apple to large bowl.
• Add cooked berries, remaining 3 cups uncooked berries, lemon zest, juice, sugar, tapioca, and salt; toss to combine.
• Transfer mixture to dough-lined pie plate and scatter butter pieces over filling.
• Roll out second disk of dough on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 11-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Using 1 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut round from center of dough; cut another 6 rounds from dough, 1 1/2 inches from edge of center hole and equally spaced around center hole.
• Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll over pie, leaving at least 1/2-inch overhang on each side.
• Using kitchen shears, trim bottom layer of overhanging dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang.
• Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate.
• Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with tines of fork to seal.
• Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture. If dough is very soft, chill in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Place pie on heated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
• Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Prepare either pie crust recipe through step 5.
• Stir the blueberries, sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Mix together until it's no longer dry and powdery; burst a few blueberries if necessary to moisten. Set filling aside as the oven preheats. Filling can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours if needed.
• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack to catch any blueberry juices.
• On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9×2-inch round pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Pour and spread filling evenly into pie dish. Dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling. Set aside at room temperature or in the refrigerator as you assemble the top pie crust.
• Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips of dough; in the pictured pie, I cut 10 1.5-inch-wide strips. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. (Here's a lattice pie crust tutorial if you need visuals.) Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small paring knife to trim off excess dough. Flute or crimp the edges with a fork.
• Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
• Bake the pie at 425°F for 25 minutes; then, keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 375° (190°C). Place a pie crust shield (see Note for homemade shield) on the edges to prevent them from over-browning. Continue baking the pie until the filling's juices are bubbling everywhere, including in the center, 40-50 more minutes. This sounds like a long time, but under-baking the pie means a soupy filling with paste-like flour and cornstarch chunks. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature of the filling taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 200°F (93°C) when done. Tip: If needed towards the end of bake time, remove the pie crust shield and tent an entire piece of foil on top of the pie if the top looks like it's getting too brown.
• Remove pie from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving. Filling will be too juicy if the pie is warm when you slice it.
• Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Simmer 3 cups blueberries with 1/2 cup maple syrup until the mixture reduces by half, about 20 minutes. Pour into a bowl; stir in 4 cups blueberries, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, 1 tablespoon,lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cool completely, then pour into pie shell; dot with 4 tablespoons butter.
• Perfect All-Butter Piecrust
• Pulse 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Add 1 diced stick cold butter; process until combined. Add 2 more diced sticks cold butter; pulse three times, or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar. Gradually pour in 1/3 cup ice water, pulsing about four times until combined. Turn out onto a clean surface and press into a cohesive dough without overworking (you should see bits of butter). Wrap in plastic wrap and press into a 1-inch-thick disk; refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling out.
• How to Make a Pie
• Divide the chilled dough in half; roll 1 piece into a 12-inch, 1/8-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured surface (refrigerate the other piece).
• Roll the dough onto a rolling pin, then unroll it into a 9-inch glass pie plate, letting it hang over the edge; add filling.
• Roll out the other piece of dough and place over the filling; press the crust edges together and trim, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Roll up or pinch the overhang to seal.
• Place a foil-lined baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees. Wrap an oiled, wide band of foil around the pie edge to protect the crust. Make slashes in the top of the crust; chill for 30 minutes.
• Reduce the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Remove the foil band, brush the crust with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes; cool before slicing.

FRESH BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Mix the blueberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, the flour, lemon zest, lemon juice and Cassis in a large bowl. Carefully ease one pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough or it will shrink as the pie bakes. With a sharp knife, cut the excess dough off at the edge of the pie plate. Spoon the blueberry mixture into the pie shell, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure you include all the juices.
• Brush the edge of the crust with the egg wash. Carefully lay the second crust on top, again easing - not stretching - it onto the pie. Cut the excess dough off at the edge of the pie plate. Press the edges together with a dinner fork or crimp with your fingers. Brush the top crust with the egg wash, cut three slits for steam to escape and sprinkle with sugar.
• Place the pie on the prepared sheet pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is very bubbly and the crust is nicely browned. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cut the butter in 1/2-inch dice and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump the dough out on a floured board and turn it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece out on a well-floured board into a 12- to 13-inch circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board.

THE BEST EVER BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F Combine 2 cups flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened.
• Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap 1 ball of dough in plastic food wrap; refrigerate. Roll out remaining ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan.
• Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, nutmeg and cinnamon; mix well. Stir in blueberries. Spoon blueberry mixture into prepared pie crust.
• Roll out remaining ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Cut out decorative shapes in dough using a small cookie cutter. Place dough over filling. Seal, trim and crimp or flute edge. Cover edge of crust with 2-inch strip of aluminum foil so it don't burn.
• Bake for 35 minutes; remove aluminum foil. Continue baking for 10 to 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and juice begins to bubble through cut-outs in crust.
• Cool pie 30 minutes; serve warm. Store refrigerated.
• TIP::: If fresh blueberries are unavailable, substitute frozen blueberries and increase baking time by 15 minutes.

ULTIMATE GOOEY BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.
• Mix blueberries and cornstarch together in a bowl until all the blueberries are coated. Add sugar, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to blueberries; stir until well mixed.
• Press 1 pie crust into the prepared pie dish. Brush the bottom crust with ½ of the beaten egg white. Pour blueberry mixture into the pie crust.
• Lay the second crust over the blueberry filling, crimping the 2 crusts together to seal. Cut 4 1/2-inch slits into the top crust. Brush the top crust with the remaining egg wash. Cover crust edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes.

MY FAVORITE BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For pastry:
• Stir together flour and salt. Cut in the shortening in a bowl with two knives or a pastry blender. The shortening should be cut into pieces about the size of peas. If they are too small, the crust will be crumbly instead of flaky. Each of the cut pieces must be coated with the dry flour mixture so that the pieces will not recombine. The bowl and knives or pastry blender should be dry to prevent lumping of the flour.
• Next, add the minimum amount of cold water required to just moisten, not wet the flour. From this point on, great care must be used. The water must be distributed throughout the mass, and air incorporated without developing the gluten of the flour by pulling or working. First, partially distribute the water throughout the flour mixture in the bowl by gently tossing with two forks. Just lift up and gently turn over. (Do not use a stiffing motion, which would cause one layer to rub against and pull another.).
• As soon as the mixture has attained crumb consistency (pellets of shortening coated with moist flour mixture), turn out of the bowl onto a pastry board. (I use a Tupperware plastic sheet instead of a board.) Very gently shape the mixture into a mound with the hands. Cut the mound in half with a knife. Pick up one half, set it upon the other, and gently form it into a new mound. (Too heavy a hand makes a tough crust.) Cut the new mound in half and stack again. Repeat this until the dough holds together, about 10 times. This operation completes the mixing and incorporates air. (Since pastry dough contains no other leavening agent, this air is required to lighten the pastry.)
• Finally, roll the dough to the required diameter and thickness, using very light pressure and working from the center towards the edges. (Do not pull the dough.) Sometimes one must flour the Tupperware plastic sheet and the rolling pin very lightly with flour during this last stage.
• The pastry circles for both the bottom and top crusts should be about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches larger in diameter than the outer edge of the pie plate.
• For a 1-crust pie, roll pastry around the rolling pin, loosening the pastry from the Tupperware plastic sheet carefully with a knife. Place it over the pie plate and unroll. Gently press the pastry against the inside walls of the pie plate to expel air bubbles, pushing the edges toward the center rather than pulling from the center out. The pastry should extend about 11/2 inch beyond the rim of the pie plate. One should trim any additional pastry. Turn the edge under and press against the under side of the rim. Flute the top edge.
• For a 2-crust pie, place the bottom crust in the pie pan as described above, except cut the excess crust off at the edge of the pie plate with the knife. Put the pastry in the pie pan in the freezer about 30 minutes (at least 15 minutes). After adding the filling, lay the upper crust over the filling in the same manner as before, press the edges of the 2 crusts together, turn them under, and flute the double thickness. Cut the gashes (steam vents) in the upper crust after placing the top crust over the filling.
• For the filling:
• Combine the first 5 ingredients. Mix with lemon juice and blueberries. Turn into a 9-inch pie plate lined with unbaked pastry. Dot with butter or margarine.
• Top with pastry rolled to 1/8 inches thickness. Trim, turn under, and flute edge. Cut a vent in top crust to allow for escape of steam. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust has browned. Cool before serving.

BLUEBERRY PIE WITH FROZEN BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Put frozen blueberries in a pot along with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Mix gently so that the blueberries will get covered with cornstarch; the cornstarch will help to thicken the pie filling. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so it will not burn to the bottom, about 15 minutes.
• While the pie filling is cooking, combine flour, 3/4 cup butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a fork until crumbles form. Slowly add cold water and mix until incorporated, adding more water as needed.
• Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Roll out 1 dough ball with a rolling pin into a 10-inch circle. Transfer pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim the edge of the pie crust with scissors and crimp the rim with your fingertips and knuckles.
• Remove pie filling from heat and pour into the pie crust. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon butter pieces on top of the filling; the butter will melt and make a thin surface over the filling that will help you weave the strips of crust for the lattice on top.
• Roll the top crust into a 10-inch circle. Cut into 1/2-inch strips with a sharp paring knife or pastry wheel. Start with the longest strips and lay the first 2 in an X in the center of the pie. Alternate horizontal and vertical strips, weaving them in an over-and-under pattern. Use the shortest strips for the edges of the lattice. Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the edge of the bottom crust and flute the crust.
• Melt 1 teaspoon butter in milk by microwaving in a microwave-safe cup in 10-second intervals. Brush over the top of the pie to get a nice golden brown crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Press the pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Gently stir in the blueberries. Pour into the pie crust.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon. Mix in butter using a fork until crumbly. Spread the crumb topping evenly over the pie filling.
• Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until browned on top. Cool over a wire rack.

BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over blueberries.
• Line pie dish with one pie crust. Pour berry mixture into the crust, and dot with butter. Cut remaining pastry into 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide strips, and make lattice top. Crimp and flute edges.
• Bake pie on lower shelf of oven for about 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

PERFECT BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup berries with 3/4 cup sugar in pan.
• Simmer on low heat until sugar is melted and mixture is very liquid; about 5 minutes.
• Combine cornstarch and water in bowl.
• Add to pan with blueberries.
• Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to full boil and is clear and thick.
• Pour hot mixture into large bowl.Cool until warm.
• Fold in remaining 3 cups of blueberries, lemon rind, cinnamon,nutmeg and butter.
• Let cool before adding to pie crust.
• Add top crust and brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar.
• Preheat oven to 400°F but reduce heat to 375°F when you put pie in oven. Bake about 40 minutes. Check pie halfway through baking; cover edges with a strip of foil if edges are getting too brown.
• This technique works for any delicate fruit such as raspberries or strawberries.