Blueberry apple pie

 

 

 

  

I will be honest with you, I made this pie about three weeks ago, so it has taken me more than a while to post about it and if I wait any longer, berry season will be over although it is just starting!

 

Blogging has taken a bit of a back seat in the past week or so. I have been spending long hours in the office and a lot has been going on. I feel like I am stuck in some TV show where people wear power suits and talk about mergers, acquisitions, migrations, black out periods and financial jargon that I don't even know how to use appropriately most of the time. So far so good, but I suspect there will be some ugly susprises ahead.

 

 

 

The few moments when I did have a chance to blog, my absolute priority was reviewing Tori's book because she had been so sweet to send it to me immediately and I was afraid that with everything that was going on it would, unjustly, sit on my desk for weeks before I got another chance.

So here I am now, posting about pie when pie is the last thing I can eat these days.

  

The time has come for me to cut down on calories and get in some extra exercise. It has been raining so much lately, I haven't been keeping up my normal running schedule and the winter months (I like to convince myself it was just them) have left their mark. My tummy is growing at an alarming pace and seems to have taken on a deceptive shape.

 

 

 

You know your no-pie time (perhaps this is a good instance to use the phrase black out period???) has come when two people (men for Pete's sake!) in three days enquire about your, ehm ...ripening state.

So, fine. You laugh it off when the octagenarian hanging out on a bench while you are helping your kid with his dangerously melting ice cream cone asks you whether your next one is a boy or a girl (trying to ignore the fact that this is usually a question people ask when you are visibly pregnant, definitely more than 4 months). After all, said octagenarian has little else to do all afternoon and he did witness the combined lethal effect of bending over AND forgetting to suck in your stomach whilst concentrating on dark dark chocolate dripping all over the place. It has happened before and it will happen again (although admittedly you had hoped not quite so soon). Big deal!

 

 

 

But when you are on your morning run and another runner crosses your path and gesticulates at your stomach with a surprised yet admiring look as if to say "expecting and running - you go girl!"...

That, Mr., is what I call crossing the line. Why the f*** do you think I am out running at 6am if not to get rid of that belly which, incidentally, is not THAT big???

Mental note to self: don't feel too good about yourself when all that running you have been doing starts giving you more shapely legs because apparently when the whole of you was out of shape, at least you looked fat and not pregnant!

So yes, I am not eating pie these days, but a girl can dream, can't she? Delicious flakey, buttery crust, warm cinnamony apples, juicy bursting berries, sweet crimson juices and cold vanilla ice cream... just make it because you can, will ya?

 

 

 

Ingredients for dough (Smitten Kitchen's pie crust)

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 sticks (8 ounces, 1 cup or 225gr) unsalted butter, very cold

about 3/4 cup ice cold water

Ingredients for filling
4 cups sliced, peeled apples (about 4/6 apples)

2 cups fresh blueberries

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 /2 tsp ground cinnamon

 

1 egg, beaten + 2 tbsp water

coarse brown sugar

Remember when making pie crust, especially in warmer months, that it is essential that you work quickly with very cold ingredients (and hands). If you leave small pieces of cold butter in the dough they will melt while baking and form pockets of steam. Pockets of steam=flakey crust. So prepare your ingredients beforehand!

Fill a liquid measuring cup with ice water (add ice cubes if you like). Dice the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and, if necessary, store in fridge until you need it. In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the flour and start working them into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (or two knives, like I did until I recently had a friend bring me a pastry blender from the States). When the diced butter become the size of small peas start drizzling 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water over the mixture. Gather the dough using a spatula (avoid using your hands as much as possible). You will need up to an additional 1/4 cup of cold water to bring the dough together, but maybe less, so make sure you add it a tablespoon at a time. When you are working large clumps together with the spatula, start using your hands, or rather your finger tips. Bring the clumps together into a mound, then knead gently just until it holds together. Divide the dough in half and wrap in Saran wrap, flattening them into discs. Leave the dough to chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours and up to a few days.

When you are ready to roll out your dough, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.

For the filling, peel and slice the apples and mix in the lemon juice. Mix all the dry ingredients, then sprinkle over the apples and mix. Add the blueberries last. Set aside.

Roll out half of the chilled dough onto a work surface that you will have previously sprinkled with lots of flour, remembering to work quickly. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough (I usually fold it into quarters and unfold it in the pan but you can also roll it onto your rolling pin and then unroll over the pan). At this point you should trim the edges so that you have a half-inch overhang. Put filling into pie crust (if it is too liquid, discard most of it. Roll out the remaining dough, draping it over the filling and then trim accordingly. Seal the two crusts by pressing the edges together and folding them over, crimping them. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg with 2 tbsp water and brush over the pie crust, then sprinkle with some coarse brown sugar. Cut slits in the crust to form steam vents and bake the pie for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F/175°C and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden. If you see it is getting dark, cover with aluminum foil. Let pie cool on a rack. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.