Every day is pie day, in my opinion… but it is doubly so on National Pie Day, and what better way to celebrate than with a classic lattice-top blueberry pie? Pie crusts have been getting the royal treatment lately: Intricate pie crusts, decorated with everything from pastry leaves and flowers to complicated cutouts, have taken Instagram by absolute storm. So my humble blueberry pie is also the first time I tried experimenting with this technique, and I have to tell you — it’s so much fun! So get the flour and butter chilled, roll up your sleeves and let’s get baking.
Ingredients:
For the filling
- 2 1/2 pounds frozen blueberries — defrost completely before using
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch plus 1 Tablespoon extra to sprinkle over pie crust
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon fine sanding sugar to sprinkle over pie
- a little butter
Instructions:
1. Defrost the blueberries overnight and drain any liquid that collects in the bowl. Mix with the other ingredients and keep chilled unless you are using straight away.
2. Once again, drain any liquid that collects in the bowl before filling the pie.
Ingredients:
For the pie crust
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- About 1/2 cup ice-cold water (you may not need to use it all)
Instructions:
- Measure your flour, sugar and salt, and put in the bowl of your food processor. Chill the container in the fridge for an hour.
- Pulse the ingredients to mix together.
- Add the cubed butter and pulse again, in short bursts, until the mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs.
- Gradually add the water, pulsing to mix it in. You need to add enough water so that the mixture just begins to clump together. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time.
- Line your worktop with two large pieces of plastic wrap and tip the dough onto it.
- Use the wrap to bring the dough together into a ball.
- Unwrap and use a floured rolling pin to roll out slightly to a large disk. Wrap well and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Lightly dust your worktop with flour. Divide the dough into two pieces, keeping the one you are not using wrapped in the fridge.
- Roll out the dough to 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick, and carefully drape over an 8-inch pie plate. Press the dough right against the edges.
- Use scissors to cut any excess dough, but leave a border hanging off the pie plate. Gather any scraps to use later. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the lattice and decorations.
- Roll out the remaining dough as in step 9. Cut into an even number of strips using a pastry or pizza cutter — I used two widths of strips: one narrow and one wide.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set the shelf in the bottom third of the oven. Line a tray with baking paper.
- Take the prepared pie plate and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Fill with the blueberries, piling them slightly higher in the center of the pie (make sure you drain any excess liquid first). Dot with small pieces of butter.
- Brush the edge of the pie with a little water. Lay half the strips vertically over the pie, spaced slightly apart.
- Fold back half the strips and lay a horizontal strip across the middle. Repeat with the remaining strips, folding back alternating vertical strips to create the lattice. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp with a fork. Put the pie back in the fridge.
- Gather any scraps of dough and roll out. Use small plunge cutters or small cookie cutters to cut out different shapes — I used leaves, flowers and hearts.
- Lightly whisk one egg with a tablespoon of milk or cream. Brush over the entire pie and then arrange the decorations around the edges. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Place the pie on the prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes. If it is browning too quickly, tent with some foil.
- Reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for a further 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling just starts to bubble through the lattice. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least three hours before serving.
Defrost the blueberries overnight and drain any liquid that collects in the bowl. Mix with the other ingredients and keep chilled unless you are using straight away. Once again, drain any liquid that collects in the bowl before filling the pie.
Measure your flour, sugar and salt and put in the bowl of your food processor. Chill the container in the fridge for an hour. Pulse the ingredients to mix together.
Add the cubed butter and pulse again, in short bursts, until the mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs.
Gradually add the water, pulsing to mix it in. You need to add enough water so that the mixture just begins to clump together. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time.
Line your worktop with two large pieces of plastic wrap and tip the dough on it.
Use the wrap to bring the dough together into a ball. Unwrap and use a floured rolling pin to roll out slightly to a large disk. Wrap well and chill in the fridge for an hour.
Lightly dust your worktop with flour. Divide the dough into two pieces, keeping the one you are not using wrapped in the fridge.
Roll out the dough to 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick, and carefully drape over an eight-inch pie plate. Press the dough right against the edges.
Use scissors to cut any excess dough, but leave a border hanging off the pie plate. Gather any scraps to use later. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the lattice and decorations.
Roll out the remaining dough as in step nine. Cut into an even number of strips using a pastry or pizza cutter — I used two widths of strips: one narrow and one wide.
Take the prepared pie plate and sprinkle with one tablespoon of cornstarch. Fill with the blueberries, piling them slightly higher in the center of the pie (make sure you drain any excess liquid first). Dot with small pieces of butter.
Brush the edge of the pie with a little water. Lay half the strips vertically over the pie, spaced slightly apart. Fold back half the strips and lay a horizontal strip across the middle. Repeat with the remaining strips, folding back alternating vertical strips to create the lattice.
Trim the edges, leaving a one-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp with a fork. Put the pie back in the fridge.
Gather any scraps of dough and roll out. Use small plunge cutters or small cookie cutters to cut out different shapes — I used leaves, flowers and hearts.
Lightly whisk one egg with a tablespoon of milk or cream. Brush over the entire pie and then arrange the decorations around the edges. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Chill for 30 minutes.
Place the pie on the prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes. If it is browning too quickly, tent with some foil.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for a further 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling just starts to bubble through the lattice. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least three hours before serving.
How will you celebrate National Pie Day? Check us out on Pinterest for more fun and delicious pie recipes.
