BERRY PIE

Berry Pie is a delightful treat bursting with flavors from the berries and homemade buttery golden crust. This pie is perfect treat for the 4th of July!

Pie is a perfect way to enjoy fruits that are in season 🙂 As you all know by now, I am a berry lover, and I love baking pies that contain berries or other seasonal fruits. I make the crust at home as I love the process of doing it. You can simply use the store bought crust, and they taste delicious as well. Since July 4th is around the corner, I have created a delicious patriotic pie 🙂 It’s always good to have a fancy looking dessert for major holiday gatherings such as 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas etc., isn’t it ?

I have noted down the way I have done it, so that I don’t mess up things when I prepare it again. Decorate the crust the way you love as its always fun to do, or keep it as simple like this strawberry galette  or rustic apple blackberry pie.

If you are interested in making this patriotic pie then here you go..

• Making the Pie Crust : Combine the dry ingredients and add cubed cold butter and bring it all together using a fork or a pastry cutter. Small lumps of butter here and there are completely OK, in fact preferable. Then add in ice cold water little by little, a table spoon at a time, and gently knead until dough is formed. 
• Prepare the filling : The sliced strawberries and whole blueberries are tossed in corn starch to absorb any moisture and thicken your filling as they bake. The amount of sugar you add depends on the sweetness of the fruit. Then give an additional flavor with vanilla, and you are done. Feel free to add any herbs, lemon zest if desired. Prepare both berry filling in two different bowls.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions :I always love to make some extra dough so that I can create some different shapes and decorate or just serve some pie fries with leftover dough for tea or coffee. This time I have prepared an interesting recipe with leftover dough which I will be sharing soon. So stay tuned!
• Roll the dough and crimp the edges if desired : I have used 9 inch pie pan for the recipe. Roll the dough into 12 or 13 inch round and transfer it to pie plate. Press firmly against the bottom and edges. Crimp up the edges or simply press using fork if desired. Trim off any extra dough.

• Spoon the filling into the crust :  I have placed two graham crackers at 90 degree to create 2 sections in the crust. Filled 1/4 with blueberry filling and the rest with the strawberry filling 🙂
• Cut out the stars and stripes :  Roll other half of the dough. Using pizza cutter, cut them to stripes of desired thickness and using cookie cutter, cut them into stars of desired size. Any extra stars and stripes can be used for decorating or served as side later. Keep this on separate parchment paper.  Brush it with egg wash and sprinkle some sugar.
• I have baked the stars and stripes separately (for about 8 to 12 minutes, respectively) just to avoid any juices from the berries bubbling on top of them and staining it 🙂 But make sure you place these on top of the baked pie as soon as the pie is out of the oven.
• You can brush the crust with egg wash or heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar to get beautiful golden color. Bake this for about 35 to 45 minutes or until crust develops nice golden color and the fruit is bubbly. Bake the stars and stripes for 8 and 12 minutes, respectively or till you get the desired color.

American Flag Pie is ready. Don’t you think this is easy, plus the process is even more fun. Ask your kids (or your friends) to  form stripes and stars using pizza- and cookie-cutters – a perfect way to get everyone involved in the Independence Day celebrations.

As you all know by now we have already planned to attend a potluck + barbecue party at our close friends place on the 4th of July weekend. I am planning to prepare 2 of these pies along with some peach fritters. By the way what are your plans for 4th of July?

Preparation time : 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves : 1 pie

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Ingredients for Berry Pie

For the Dough
All purpose flour – 3 cups
Cold butter cubed  – 2 sticks ( 1 cup)
Salt – 1 tsp
Sugar – 4 tsp
Ice cold water –  15 tbsp to 18 tbsp divided 

(You can even use store bought pie dough)

For the Blueberry Filling
Blueberry – 3/4 cup
Corn starch – 1/2 tbsp
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Vanilla extract – 1/2 tsp

For Strawberry Filling
Strawberry chopped – 1 pound
Corn starch – 2 tbsp
Sugar  – 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Salt – pinch

Egg – 1 for egg wash (for egg less version you can brush with cream or whole milk.)
Sugar – 3 tbsp to 4 tbsp to sprinkle on top

Steps to prepare Berry Pie

Step I (Prepare the dough. If using store bought dough, ignore this step.)

• In a large bowl add flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter pieces using a fork or pastry cutter until butter is evenly distributed. Small speckles or pieces of butter combined with four, sugar and salt is what we are aiming for.
• Sprinkle ice cold water over this flour mixture 1 or 2 tbsp at a time and gently mix it using your hands till it comes together to form a dough ball. You may also use a food processor to complete the above two steps. (Check tip section)
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and keep it in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Step II (Prepare the filling)

• In one bowl, add in strawberries, corn starch, sugar (check tip section), vanilla extract, salt and toss.
• In another bowl, add in blueberries, corn starch, sugar, vanilla extract and toss.

Step III (Assemble the pie)

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree F.
• Unwrap the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into 2 equal portions.
• Using rolling pin roll one portion of the dough into 12 inch round, and about 1/8th inch thick. Transfer this to 9 inch greased pie pan pressing firmly against bottom and sides. 
• Make the crimp on the edges if desired and trim off any excess. Egg wash the edges and sprinkle some sugar.
• I have placed graham cracker just to divide the crust into 2 sections ( 1/4 for blueberry and 3/4 for strawberry)
• Spoon the blueberry filling into 1/4 portion of the crust  and strawberry filling to the remaining larger portion and carefully remove the graham cracker. Keep this aside.
• Roll out the remaining half portion of the dough and cut them to form stripes of the flag and using cookie cutter cut the stars of desired size. Brush these with egg wash and sprinkle some sugar. Place this on parchment paper. (If you have any left over dough make extra stripes and stars as they will be tasty or simply plastic wrap them and place it in refrigerator. An interesting recipe that uses any left over pie dough coming up soon, so stay tuned!)
• I like to bake my stripes and stars separately and then place it on the pie as soon as they are out from the oven.
• Bake the pie on the lower rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or till the edges are brown and filling is bubbling.
• Place the stars and stripes on the top rack of the oven and bake the stripes for 12 minutes and stars for about 8 minutes or until it is done.
• Once the pie is out of the oven immediately place stars and stripes. Allow the pie to cool completely.
• Berry Pie is now ready. Serve and enjoy. Happy 4th of July in advance!!

Tip:

• The amount of sugar can be increased or reduced depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
• The amount of ice cold water required may vary depending on the quality of flour and weather condition. So add 1 or 2 tbsp at a time.

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