Flakey,
with a field of sugar.
The crust runs
criss cross.
The finger feels
roughened.
Plump rounds
of
deep purple,
royal red,
blue of midnight.
Burst in sweet
stain tips and tongues.
...
Berry Pie
time 30 minutes to make the pie crust, plus chilling overnight / 30 minutes to roll out dough, make the filling and prepare the pie for baking / around 45 minutes baking time
yields one 24cm pie
pie crust:
200g unsalted butter, chilled, cut in to 1.4cm cubes
10ml vinegar
50g caster sugar
170ml water, chilled
340g all-purpose flour
3g salt
filling:
250g raspberries
250g blueberries
250g blackberries
50g red currants
100g sugar
30g cornstarch
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
Making the pie crust:
Remove the butter from the fridge 20 min before you start mixing - the butter should still be very cold so it doesn't melt through the pastry while mixing.
Add the vinegar, sugar and water in a bowl and stir well.
Set aside for 10 minutes and then stir again to completely dissolve the sugar.
Set aside for 10 minutes and then stir again to completely dissolve the sugar.
Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl and toss through the butter.
Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour to partly combine.
Keep your hands cold by running them through cold water when you feel your hands starting to warm up.
Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour to partly combine.
Keep your hands cold by running them through cold water when you feel your hands starting to warm up.
You should now have a floury mix where you can see squashed pieces of butter.
Turn this out onto the work surface and gather together.
Sprinkle over the sugar mixture and use the palm of your hand to smear the mixture away from you across the work surface.
Gather together again and repeat the smearing process until the dough is brought together. About 4-5 times in total.
You should still be able to see streaks of butter marbled through the pastry.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
Turn this out onto the work surface and gather together.
Sprinkle over the sugar mixture and use the palm of your hand to smear the mixture away from you across the work surface.
Gather together again and repeat the smearing process until the dough is brought together. About 4-5 times in total.
You should still be able to see streaks of butter marbled through the pastry.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
Roll the pie dough:
brush the pie tin with a little butter.
brush the pie tin with a little butter.
Remove the pastry form the fridge 20 minutes before you wish to roll it.
Sprinkle a little flour on the bench and over the rolling pin.
Roll the dough to a flat round disc about 3mm thick.
Try not to use too much flour, only enough to stop it from sticking.
Roll the dough to a flat round disc about 3mm thick.
Try not to use too much flour, only enough to stop it from sticking.
Cut out the pastry with a knife or a round pastry cutter to a couple of centimeters larger than your pie form.
Place the pastry on the top and use your fingers to gently push the pastry into the tin.
You should have about 1cm overlap.
This method is to counteract the pastry shrinking due to the high water content in this dough.
Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to let the gluten relax and hold it's shape.
In the meantime, prepare the filling and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius:
mix sugar and cornstarch with the lemon zest in a large bowl.
Add all the berries and toss to coat well.
Fill into your pie form.
Using the scraps, roll out again in 3mm thickness.
Cut into long stripes.
Following the instructions here, make a lattice pie crust top.
Once finished, brush with milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 175 degrees Celsius.
Continue to bake the pie for about 35 - 45 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown color and the juices are bubbling and thick.
Let cool for a couple of hours before slicing and serving.
Place the pastry on the top and use your fingers to gently push the pastry into the tin.
You should have about 1cm overlap.
This method is to counteract the pastry shrinking due to the high water content in this dough.
Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to let the gluten relax and hold it's shape.
In the meantime, prepare the filling and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius:
mix sugar and cornstarch with the lemon zest in a large bowl.
Add all the berries and toss to coat well.
Fill into your pie form.
Using the scraps, roll out again in 3mm thickness.
Cut into long stripes.
Following the instructions here, make a lattice pie crust top.
Once finished, brush with milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 175 degrees Celsius.
Continue to bake the pie for about 35 - 45 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown color and the juices are bubbling and thick.
Let cool for a couple of hours before slicing and serving.