Blue Berry Pie

This was delicious and the recipe is from one of my favorite TV Chefs Alton Brown.  I used a basic pie crust recipe.  It is awesome.  


Blue Berry Pie
Recipe source: Alton's Brown Frozen Blue Berry Pie

4 cups blueberries
1/2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons Tapioca Flour
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 (9-inch) store-bought pie doughs or( homemade)
1 egg yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon water

                             Wash the berries and pat dry. Mash up half of the blueberries
                             in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and tapioca flour. Add the mashed blueberries, orange juice and orange zest and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Fold in the whole berries.


Line a 9-inch pie plate with aluminum foil. Place the blueberry mixture into the foil and place in the freezer until solid, approximately 6 to 8 hours.


Once the filling is frozen, remove from the aluminum foil and wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months

           TO BAKE

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.


Unroll first piece of dough and place into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the dough reaches to the lip of the pie pan. Trim excess, if necessary. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork.


Remove the frozen pie filling from the freezer and place into the prepared dough in the pan. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with the egg yolk.
either use a full top crust or a lattice crust... seal edges


Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. The pie should be bubbling lightly around the edges. If the lattice is not browned enough in the center, place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.


Place the pie on a rack and allow to cool to room temperature before serving, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.


Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
1 1/4 cups soft butter
1 egg
1/3 cold water
1 T. Vodka


In a food processor, add flour, sugar, salt and pulse to combine.  Add soft butter, egg and pulse to a meal.  Combine vodka with water.  Turn on processor add liquids in a steady stream to form a ball.  Remove from machine.  Flatten into 2 disks wrapped in clear wrap.  Place in fridge for one hour.  Roll out on floured board to desired size.  I usually egg wash my pie crust after I add slits to top of dough and sprinkle with demerra sugar.

Simple Blueberry Cake

This recipe has been in my family for years.  It's just a simple blueberry coffee cake.  When I was just a kid, growing up in Missouri, my mom had a whole garden that traveled the length of our yard donated to berries.  Every time I was outdoors playing, and I felt a little hungry, I remember running to the garden and eating my fill of summer berries.  We had so many berries that she would make preserves and this wonderful cake for neighbors and friends. 

It is a simple and delicious cake.

Recipe  

Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 square cake pan with non-stick spray

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

 

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 stick soften butter

1 egg room temperature

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 sour milk (whole milk with 1 T. lemon juice)

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Dry Ingredients: 

2 cups cake flour ( must be cake flour)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Crumb Topping 

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 stick butter slightly soft

Directions: 

Cream you butter and sugar till fluffy and lighter in color, add egg, lemon extract, grated lemon zest and beat.   Sift your dry ingredients and alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to your creamed butter mixture.  When incorporated add your blueberries.  Put in pan and smooth topping with offset spatula.  With the same bowl after it has been scraped with spatula, you do not have to wash bowl,  add your topping ingredients to bowl  and use paddle attachment. Mix.  You will make a fine crumb texture, add this to the top of your cake evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.  Let cool, sprinkle powder sugar and serve with coffee or tea. 

Blackberry Cobbler

Yummy!!!   I just love cobbler and this is my go to recipe.  You can put this together in a jiffy by usisng a food processor.  Great for last minute company coming over.  You can also make this a day ahead and slightly reheat, if you want to serve it warm.

I went to the market the other day and they had the most beautiful blackberries.  I instantly had a craving for cobbler with real whip cream.  This has to be my favorite dessert.  You can substitute any fruit you like, my suggestion would be all types of berries, or a mixture of pears, apples and peaches.  This dessert is truly comforting to me.  You can double or triple the recipe for a church potluck or party.  Travels well.  Enjoy!

Blackberry Cobbler
Recipe source: Grandma
Serving 6-8
Makes a 9 inch square cobbler

1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
Pinch salt
2 sticks unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. ice water (you might need more for dough to form a ball)
4 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 cups blackberry preserves (can use 1 cup to cut back on sugar)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9 inch square pan.  Combine sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly.  Pour in 1 Tablespoon of ice water and pulse until the dough begins to hold together.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and and shape into a ball.  Wrap in plastic and chill for an hour.  Combine the fresh blackberries and preserves in a bowl and stir well to coat the fruit.  Take about 3/4 of the dough and press into prepared square pan and bring it up 3/4 inch up the sides.  Spoon fruit mixture on top of pastry.  Take remaining dough and crumble on top of fruit.  Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.  Dust with confectioner's sugar and a dollop of whip cream or ice cream.

Feel free to substitute any fruit with matching preserves.