Summer is all about the pies, crisps, and cobblers. It’s fresh fruit season! Gotta take advantage.
I decided to mix it up a little. I love pie but I usually stick to apple and blueberry. I still have yet to make a chocolate cream (french silk), coconut cream, or key lime pie.
I love my fruit pies though. And this time the crust turned out SO GOOD.
A Note on Fruit Ratios
Feel free to use a different fruit ratio than the one I used. For example, you could use two cups of blueberries, one cup of cherries, and one cup of raspberries.
However, use the same ratios when creating the sauce that you mix with the raw fruit. Use 1/4 of the total fruit for the sauce. If that doesn’t make sense or you need help with the math please comment below!
A Note on Pie Pans Sizes
I’ve written before about my confusion on pie pan sizes in recipes. Many would say to use a standard 9″ pie pan. But they amount of filling the recipe yielded was ALWAYS overflowing the pan. Below I have two recipes depending on the size pie pan you’re using, INCLUDING crust recipes. Because that was always the worst part! I would roll out a crust and it wouldn’t fit in the pie pan!
So much frustration. And if you have experienced this too, I hope I can help clear it up!
If you are using a 9″ x 1.2″ pie pan, use the 4 cup recipe. Here and here are examples of this pan.
If you are using a 9.5″ x 1.75″ or 9″ x 2.25 pie pan (also known as a deep dish pan), use the 6 cup recipe. Here and Here are examples of these pans.
The Secret to Amazing Filling
I can appreciate that some people like a runny, juicy filling. Some pie recipes mix cornstarch with the berries to thicken up the filling. This works, but I have found that taking a quarter of the berries and simmering them with the sugar and adding a cornstarch/water slurry, then adding back with the rest of the berries allows the pie to thicken up beautifully.
Tips on Crust
Let me just say this now: you will fail the first time you make crust. You actually might fail the first 10 times you make crust. Or get it perfect the first or second time but the third and fourth are a disaster. It’s OK. Crust (and any type of dough) take a lot of practice and patience to master.
Dough is heavily affected by the environment you’re in. Making crust in the winter and summer can drastically change your results.
The best way to tackle it is to add in water one tablespoon at a time. Mix the dough in a food processor or with a fork. When the dough starts to come together, grab a small palmful and gently squeeze. If it stays in a ball, it’s ready. If it crumbles, it needs some more water.
I wish I had more photos on how to make crust, I’m sorry guys =( This blogging thing is hard man. And crust already stresses me out so much. I think I would panic even more if I had to keep taking breaks to take pics. But I have an idea on how I can capture the process better, and hope to have some pictures up soon!
And lastly, keep all of your ingredients cold. Stick the bowl of flour in the freezer while you’re cutting the butter. After you cut in the butter stick it in the freezer again. Use ice cold water. Cold cold cold.
Good luck and enjoy the summer weather. Stay safe! Wear a mask!
Berry Cherry Pie (4 cup version)
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon sized cubes
- 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup ice water
Filling
- 2 cups halved and pitted cherries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- First make the crust. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stick the bowl and a pastry cutter*/fork in the freezer.
- Cut the butter and shortening into chunks. Take the bowl from the freezer and add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. The biggest chunks of fat should be pea sized and all fat chunks should be coated in flour. Alternatively you can pulse in a food processor to get the same result.
- Place the bowl in the freezer again. Prepare about half a cup of ice water.
- Remove the bowl from the freezer. Keep adding ice water 1 tablespoon at a time*, gently tossing the mixture with a fork. Fully combine the water before adding more. When you can squeeze the dough in your fist and it forms a ball, it's ready. If the dough still crumbles and doesn't stick together, keep adding water one tablespoon at a time.
- Gently knead the dough together in the bowl so it forms a cohesive ball. Split the dough in two uneven pieces. One piece should be about 70% of the dough, the other about 30%. Gently flatten each ball into a disc about 1.5″ tall.
- Wrap both discs in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to rest for 2 hours.
- Remove the larger disc. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the disc, flouring over and under the dough as you go to prevent sticking. Roll until the dough is about 12″ in diameter.
- Fold the dough in half, and then in half again. Gently place it in the pie pan and unfold. Ease the dough into the pan rather than stretching it to get it in the edges. Then gently press the dough to the sides of the pan. Trim the edge of the dough so that it only overhangs the pan about 1/2″ an inch. Fold the dough underneath itself to create a thick edge. Create scallops by pinching with your fingers, or crimp the edges using a fork.
- Add the scraps to your other dough disc. Place pie pan in the freezer.
Prepare the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water together. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, add 1/2 cup of cherries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup raspberries, and the sugar. Stir frequently until all sugar is dissolved. Turn the heat to medium. Add the cornstarch and water mixture. Bring to a gently simmer. Let simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat. Add the butter and lemon zest. Set aside.
- Beat the egg and heavy cream together. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the top crust. Remove the other dough disc from the fridge and place on a floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle, flouring over and under the dough as you go to prevent sticking. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch strips. You can cut the strips smaller or larger depending on your style.
- Combine the berry sauce with the rest of the berries. Pour it into the pie pan.
- Create a lattice on top of the pie (I'll get videos someday, for now look here).
- Smush the edges of the lattice top pieces into the frozen crimped edges.
- Brush top and edges with egg wash.
- Place a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. This prevents any possible drips from burning. Place the pie pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F. Then lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden and filling starts to bubble. If the edges start to get too dark before the crust bubbles, you can tent it using a pie shield or aluminum foil.
- Let cool for 3 hours. After 3 hours, you may eat it but it will be a little juicy. If you put it in the fridge it will set up nicely.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Cherry Berry Pie (6 cup version)
Ingredients
Crust
- 3 1/2 cups (437 g) flour
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
- 11 tablespoons water
Filling
- 3 cups halved and pitted cherries
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3 3/4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- First make the crust. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stick the bowl and a pastry cutter*/fork in the freezer.
- Cut the butter and shortening into chunks. Take the bowl from the freezer and add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. The biggest chunks of fat should be pea sized and all fat chunks should be coated in flour. Alternatively you can pulse in a food processor to get the same result.
- Place the bowl in the freezer again. Prepare about half a cup of ice water.
- Remove the bowl from the freezer. Keep adding ice water 1 tablespoon* at a time, gently tossing the mixture with a fork. Fully combine the water before adding more. When you can squeeze the dough in your fist and it forms a ball, it's ready. If the dough still crumbles and doesn't stick together, keep adding water one tablespoon at a time.
- Gently knead the dough together in the bowl so it forms a cohesive ball. Split the dough in two uneven pieces. One piece should be about 70% of the dough, the other about 30%. Gently flatten each ball into a disc about 1 1/2″ tall.
- Wrap both discs in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to rest for 2 hours.
- Remove the larger disc. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the disc, flouring over and under the dough as you go to prevent sticking. Roll until the dough is about 15″ in diameter.
- Fold the dough in half, and then in half again. Gently place it in the pie pan and unfold. Ease the dough into the pan rather than stretching it to get it in the edges. Then gently press the dough to the sides of the pan. Trim the edge of the dough so that it only overhangs the pan about 1/2″ an inch. Fold the dough underneath itself to create a thick edge. Create scallops by pinching with your fingers, or crimp the edges using a fork.
- Add the scraps to your other dough disc. Place pie pan in the freezer.
Prepare the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water together. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, add 3/4 cups cherries, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup raspberries, and sugar. Stir frequently until all sugar is dissolved. Turn the heat to medium. Add the cornstarch and water mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat. Add the butter, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Beat the egg and heavy cream together. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the top crust. Remove the other dough disc from the fridge and place on a floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a 14 inch circle, flouring over and under the dough as you go to prevent sticking. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1 inch strips. You can cut the strips smaller or larger depending on your style.
- Combine the berry sauce with the rest of the berries. Pour it into the pie pan.
- Create a lattice on top of the pie (I’ll get videos someday, for now look here).
- Smush the edges of the lattice top pieces into the frozen crimped edges.
- Brush top and edges with egg wash.
- Place a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. This prevents any possible drips from burning. Place the pie pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F. Then lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30-45 minutes or until crust is golden and filling starts to bubble. If the edges start to get too dark before the crust bubbles, you can tent it using a pie shield or aluminum foil.
- Let cool for 3 hours. After 3 hours, you may eat it but it will be a little juicy. If you put it in the fridge it will set up nicely.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream!