Bumbleberry Pie
Double Crust Pie Dough
This makes dough for the bottom of two 9 inch pie plates or for the top and bottom of one 9-inch pie.
2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon table salt (if you are using salted butter decrease this to a ½ tsp)
6 Tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter placed in the freezer to chill (food processor option: cut into ¼ inch pieces. Hand Mix Option: keep as one 6 TBSP long stick)
3/4 cup (148g) vegetable shortening, cut into ½ inch pieces and placed in the freezer to chill
¼ cup (4 TBSP) - 1/2 cup (8 TBSP) ice water
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar (optional, if you want your crust to have a sweeter taste)
Place butter (prepared per the option you will use) and shortening in freezer several hours ahead of time, or the day before.
Mix a cup of water with some ice and set aside until needed.
Food Processor Option: Process the flour and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Hand Mix Option: Freeze the butter in its stick form until very firm. Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the chilled shortening and press it into the flour using a fork or a pastry cutter. Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater into the flour mixture. Stir to combine, if the butter clumped together vice remaining in its grated form you may need to cut the mixture again using a pastry cutter or two butter/dinner knives, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula, until the dough begins to form large clumps. If the dough does not come together, stir in additional water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it does.
Caution: you do not want to add any more water than you need. A wet dough is easier to roll out but will result in a tough crust and will cause the pie dough to shrink as the water evaporates when blind baked. In dry winter months you will need more water.
Turn out the pie dough to a work surface and fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats, ultimately forming a ball. The dough should come together easily. If it is still crumbly add a bit more water.
Divide dough in half, forming each half into a disk about 1 inch thick. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for two hours to chill (or up to 5 days). (Dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month, if frozen allow to thaw completely on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight before attempting to roll out).
Rolling Out the Dough: Lay the chilled disk of dough on a lightly floured work surface, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and roll the dough outward from its’ center into a 12-inch circle, in all directions. Between every few rolls, give the dough a quarter turn to help keep the circle nice and round and ensure the dough isn’t sticking to your work surface. Add extra flour underneath the dough if needed. Visible specks of butter/shortening in the dough is normal and desired.
With plastic wrap still on top gently fold the dough in half forming a semi-circle, then fold in half again forming a quarter-circle. Gently lift the dough and place the point of the quarter circler in the center of your pie pan or tart tin.
Gently unfold, keeping plastic wrap in place and press/mold the dough into the pie plate, letting the excess hang over the side. Remove plastic wrap and trim dough in excess of ½ inch from the rim of your pie plate with scissors, reinforcing any areas that may need it with scraps. Tuck the ½ inch overhang underneath and crimp as desired. Return plastic wrap over pie and place in fridge until ready to fill or blind bake.
Blind Baking: Preheat an oven to 350˚F with a rack in the middle position.
egg wash (egg whisked with a splash of water)
Take a piece of parchment paper and crumple it up really good then straighten it back out. Remove dough lined pie plate/tart tin from fridge. Remove plastic wrap and replace with parchment paper. Fill with dried beans, rice or pie weights up to the rim. Place in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until it is pale golden and almost fully cooked. Gently remove the parchment paper with it’s contents, paint the base with a little beaten egg or egg white and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes. When it is cooked, leave it to cool while the filling is prepared.
Bumbleberry Pie with Twisted Top
Crust
1 recipe double crust pie dough (see recipe above)
Flour for dusting
Filling
1/2 cup (56 grams) cornstarch
1 ¼ cups (248 grams) granulated sugar
2 cup sliced rhubarb
2 cup blueberries
2 cups raspberries
2 cups blackberries
Zest of 1 orange
2 ½ Tablespoons orange juice
Assembly
Egg wash (egg beaten with a splash of water)
Turbinado sugar
Prepare double crust pie dough per recipe directions, allow dough to chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Roll half the pastry into a ~13” circle and fit into a 9” pie pan.
Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and orange zest. Gently toss this together with the fruit and orange juice.
Gently tilt the filling out into the lined pie plate, distribute filling evenly throughout and return to the refrigerator.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the other pastry into a roughly 12-inch circle about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. Cut crust into ½-inch wide strips. They don’t have to be perfect as you will be twisting them. Remove pie from the refrigerator and starting in the middle of the pie, start twisting one of the pie crust strips, going around and around. Keep adding strips as you use them, keeping each layer close together. Continue with the rest of the strips until you reach the edge of the pie.
Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle the top of the pie with Turbinado sugar, if desired.
Bake the pie, on the parchment lined baking sheet, for 15 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for another 50 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges.
Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely (for several hours or overnight) before cutting and serving.
Store any leftover pie, covered, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Yields one 9-inch pie