Classic Blueberry Pie
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
2 hours, plus 30 minutes chilling and 1 hour cooling
Yield
Serves 6 to 8 (Makes one 9-inch pie)
Ingredients
Pie Dough
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting1 teaspoon table salt 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes7 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled⅓ cup water, chilled with ice, increasing up to ⅜ cup, if neededBlueberry Filling
3 pints fresh blueberries (6 cups), rinsed and picked over¾ cup granulated sugar 1 small lemon, zested to yield 1 teaspoon zest and juiced to yield 2 teaspoons juice¼ teaspoon ground allspice Pinch ground nutmeg 3–4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small piecesBefore You Begin
The amount of sugar and tapioca you use is relative, depending on the fruit’s quality and your taste. If you prefer a less sweet pie or if the fruit is especially sweet, use the lower sugar amount. If you like your pie juices fairly thick, or if the fruit is really juicy, then opt for the higher amount of tapioca. If you are using frozen fruit, measure it frozen, but let it thaw before filling the pie. If not, you run the risk of partially cooked fruit and undissolved tapioca.
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue to cut it in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
- Sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon of remaining ice water if dough does not come together. Divide dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss fruit with sugar, lemon juice and zest, spices, and tapioca; let stand for 15 minutes.
- Roll larger dough disk on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into 9-inch Pyrex pie pan, leaving dough that overhangs the lip in place. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into pie shell. Scatter butter pieces over fruit. Refrigerate until ready to top with remaining dough.
- Roll smaller disk on lightly floured surface into 10-inch circle. Lay over fruit. Trim top and bottom dough edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough in your own fashion, or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top to allow steam to escape. If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
- Place pie on baking sheet; bake until top crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
- Transfer pie to wire rack; let cool to almost room temperature so juices have time to thicken, from 1 to 2 hours.
Time
2 hours, plus 30 minutes chilling and 1 hour coolingYield
Serves 6 to 8 (Makes one 9-inch pie)Ingredients
Pie Dough
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
⅓ cup water, chilled with ice, increasing up to ⅜ cup, if needed
Blueberry Filling
3 pints fresh blueberries (6 cups), rinsed and picked over
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 small lemon, zested to yield 1 teaspoon zest and juiced to yield 2 teaspoons juice
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch ground nutmeg
3–4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Ingredients
Pie Dough
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
⅓ cup water, chilled with ice, increasing up to ⅜ cup, if needed
Blueberry Filling
3 pints fresh blueberries (6 cups), rinsed and picked over
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 small lemon, zested to yield 1 teaspoon zest and juiced to yield 2 teaspoons juice
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch ground nutmeg
3–4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Ingredients
Pie Dough
2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
⅓ cup water, chilled with ice, increasing up to ⅜ cup, if needed
Blueberry Filling
3 pints fresh blueberries (6 cups), rinsed and picked over
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 small lemon, zested to yield 1 teaspoon zest and juiced to yield 2 teaspoons juice
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch ground nutmeg
3–4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Why This Recipe Works
For many years we have tried using flour and cornstarch to thicken fresh fruit pies, but the results have been uniformly poor. After testing cornstarch, flour, tapioca, and arrowroot, we found that the samples of fruit thickened with the root starches, arrowroot and tapioca, were clear and bright in appearance and had the clearest fruit flavor. Of the two, tapioca showed a bit more thickening power and was therefore our favorite. So we developed a fruit pie recipe employing this favorite.
Before You Begin
The amount of sugar and tapioca you use is relative, depending on the fruit’s quality and your taste. If you prefer a less sweet pie or if the fruit is especially sweet, use the lower sugar amount. If you like your pie juices fairly thick, or if the fruit is really juicy, then opt for the higher amount of tapioca. If you are using frozen fruit, measure it frozen, but let it thaw before filling the pie. If not, you run the risk of partially cooked fruit and undissolved tapioca.
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue to cut it in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
- Sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon of remaining ice water if dough does not come together. Divide dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss fruit with sugar, lemon juice and zest, spices, and tapioca; let stand for 15 minutes.
- Roll larger dough disk on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into 9-inch Pyrex pie pan, leaving dough that overhangs the lip in place. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into pie shell. Scatter butter pieces over fruit. Refrigerate until ready to top with remaining dough.
- Roll smaller disk on lightly floured surface into 10-inch circle. Lay over fruit. Trim top and bottom dough edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough in your own fashion, or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top to allow steam to escape. If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
- Place pie on baking sheet; bake until top crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
- Transfer pie to wire rack; let cool to almost room temperature so juices have time to thicken, from 1 to 2 hours.
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