Youngberry Pie Food

EASY BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Place a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Roll 1 pie dough into a 12-inch round and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, leaving an overhang for now. Place the dough into the refrigerator while you make the filling.
• Mix the blueberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and fill with the berry mixture. Dot the top of the pie with the butter. Top with the remaining pie dough, pressing around edge to adhere, and trim to a 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp the edge, then cut five vents in the center of the pie with a paring knife. Mix the egg with 1 tablespoon water, then brush the pie with the egg wash.
• Place the pie plate on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling and the berries are beginning to burst, 30 to 35 minutes more. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.

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.

BOYSENBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add the shortening and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the butter and pulse a few times until pea-size pieces form. Pulse in the vinegar, then pulse in the ice water until the dough starts to come together but is still clumpy (you do not want it to form a ball). Divide the dough in half and form into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough into a very thin 12-inch round (you can also roll the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment paper). If the dough is too soft, return to the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Press 1 round of dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang.
• Make the filling: Combine the boysenberries and liquid, the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Stir until well combined.
• Pour the berry filling into the prepared pie crust. Place the second round of dough over the pie and trim the excess to match the bottom layer. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp as desired. Cut a few slits in the top crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before baking.
• Put a baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 425 degrees F. Brush the pie with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Put the pie on the hot baking sheet and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 60 to 75 minutes. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool at least 4 hours before slicing.

FRESH BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Mix the blueberries, the 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 at all, 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 have 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 two edges together with a dinner fork. Brush the top crust with the eggs 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 a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 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 out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle at least 1 inch larger than the pie pan, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough so it doesnt stick to the board. (You should see bits of butter in the dough.) Fold the dough in half, ease it into the pie pan without stretching at all, and unfold to fit the pan. With a small sharp paring knife, cut the dough 1 inch larger around than the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork.
• "Barefoot Contessa Foolproof" by Ina Garten (c) Clarkson Potter 2012. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.

EASY BLUEBERRY HAND PIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
• Lightly flour your work surface then unroll the pie crusts. Cut out as many circles as possible from each crust using a 3- to 4-inch round cookie cutter, rerolling the dough scraps if necessary.
• Arrange half of the circles on the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch apart (these are the bottom crusts). Set aside the remaining circles (these are the top crusts).
• Stir together the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Divide the blueberry mixture among the bottom crusts, leaving a 1/4-inch border around each circle.
• Top each bottom crust with 1 of the top crusts and crimp the edges together with a fork. Cut small slits in each top crust to vent steam. (Alternatively, cut out shapes with a smaller cookie cutter from each top crust.)
• Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water then brush onto the top crusts. Sprinkle sanding sugar on top then bake the hand pies until golden brown and the blueberry juice is bubbling, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the hand pies from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets before serving. (See Cook's Note.)

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.