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Blueberry pie Grandma style
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Blueberry pie Grandma style
Personally, I do not know a single person who doesn't love pie, especially grandmother’s pies. Julie’s grandmother prepared the best blueberry pie in the world; Julie’s grandfather loved it. Today Julie makes it often for John. She uses her grandmother’s recipes but added her personal touch; the addition of two ingredients that give personality to the recipe, grated ginger and lime zest. On the occasion of father's day, she gave permission to John to share it with you. This pie is the best, not because it will have the perfect look; on the contrary it is what makes the authenticity of this recipe. The crust is prepared with butter, which gives it a flaky texture that breaks easily and the filling will spill out but the result is to die for. Ultimately, it's still a pie and it is the most decadent of all!
Blueberry pie Grandma style
| Prep time: About 20 minutes + refregirating time 1h to 3 days |
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| Cooking time: 1h30 |
| Servings or yield: 1 pie |
| Difficulty level: Complex (working the dough) |
| 5 cups of fresh blueberries, (Lac St-Jean Blueberry preferably, they give off less water) |
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| ¾ cup white or brown sugar |
| ¼ cup cornstarch |
| 1 tbsp. zest of limes |
| 1 tbsp. ginger grated |
| 9-inch Pyrex pie plate |
| Ingredients for crust |
| 1 cup + 1 tbsp. cold butter, unsalted |
| 2 cup and ¼ of all-purpose flour |
| 1 tbsp. Brown or white sugar |
| 1 tbsp. salt |
| 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar |
| 3 tbsp. cold water |
| 1 egg whole (to brush) |
| 2 tbsp. white or brown sugar |
Preparation
For the dough, cut the butter into 1-inch pieces. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter. Using your fingers and palms, work butter into smaller irregular pieces. Work quickly so butter stays cold. You want some pieces pressed flat and thin, and others that are larger and chunkier.
In a small bowl, combine the water and vinegar. Drizzle the liquid over flour running your fingers through the it to distribute the liquid. Continue until the dough starts to hold together and form a ball. It may seem a little dry, but do not add water, excess liquid can lead to a tough crust.
On your work surface, smash with the heels of your hands a few more time, working in any shaggy edges. Do it quick, over-working further develops gluten which will cause your crust to shrink when baked. Cut dough in half. Press each half into a 1-inch thick disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days), to firm up the butter and allow the dough to hydrate. You can freeze it up to a month.
After 1 hour, preheat oven at 350˚F. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13 inches round about ¼ inch thick. Slide onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill while you roll out remaining dough to another 13 inches round. Stack rounds separating with parchment, chill dough while you prepare the filling.
For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch, blueberry, lime zest and grated ginger in a large bowl. Stir to distribute ingredients.
Transfer one of the dough to the pie dish, lift up edges to allow dough to slump down into dish. Pile up filling in the center rather than trying to spread it out evenly.
Place the second dough on top; press with a fork all around to seal. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp. water and brush the top of the pie, then sprinkle 2 tbsp. sugar on top, this will give a crunchy texture to the dough.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set pie dish on top, this will catch any juices spill and sparing you the cleaning! Place the pie in the oven and cook 1 1/2 hours, yes it needs indeed to bake 1 1/2 hours, this is the time it will take to make a perfectly golden crust and a thick filling.
You must allow the pie to cool at least 4 hours, this sounds like torture, but it is quite legitimate, the filling needs this time to properly set. This pie is even better the day after!
Tips, Tricks + Culinary ideas
Preparation steps
1 - For the dough, cut the butter into 1-inch pieces. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter.
2 - In a small bowl, combine the water and vinegar.
3 - Drizzle the liquid over flour running your fingers through the flour to distribute the liquid. Continue until the dough starts to hold together and form a ball. It may seem a little dry, but do not add water, excess liquid can lead to a tough crust.
4 - On your work surface, smash with the heels of your hands a few more time, working in any shaggy edges. Do it quick, over-working further develops gluten which will cause your crust to shrink when baked.
5 - Cut dough in half. Press each half into a 1-inch thick disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days), to firm up the butter and allow the dough to hydrate. You can freeze it up to a month.
6 - For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch, Blueberry, lime zest and grated ginger in a large bowl. Stir to distribute ingredients.
7 - After 1 hour, roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13 inches round about ¼ inch thick. Slide onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill while you roll out remaining dough to another 13 inches round. Transfer one of the dough to the pie dish, lift up edges to allow dough to slump down into dish. Pile up filling in the center rather than trying to spread it out evenly.
8 - Preheat oven at 350˚F. Place the second dough on top; press with a fork all around to seal.
9 - In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp. water and brush the top of the pie, then sprinkle 2 tbsp. sugar on top, this will give a crunchy texture to the dough.
10 - Place the pie in the oven and cook 1 1/2 hours, yes it needs indeed to bake 1 1/2 hours, this is the time it will take to make a perfectly golden crust and a thick filling. You must allow the pie to cool at least 4 hours, this sounds like torture, but it is quite legitimate, the filling needs this time to properly set. This pie is even better the day after!
