This is my new favorite blueberry pie because the berries are the star of this dessert. The better the blueberries, the better the pie. Filled with fresh, sweet, glistening berries coated in a quick homemade blueberry jam, this lovely firm pie is juicy without being runny.
The original recipe called for lemon juice, but I am a big fan of lime with blueberry, so I made a substitution. I also added more lime in the form of candied lime peel, but you could easily skip this step.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 recipe of Pate Brisee or American Pie Crust
- 1 tablespoon egg white, lightly beaten
- 4 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried
- 1/2 liquid cup and two tablespoons water, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- large pinch kosher salt
- candied lime peel (same process as candied orange peel)
- 1 1/2 cups whipped cream (optional)
Directions:
Prebake your pie crust. The key is to line the pie pan with dough, crimp the end, prick the dough all over with a fork and freeze in the pan for 10 minutes. Line the frozen dough with aluminum foil and fill to the tippy top with beans or rice. I keep a container of beans just for this purpose.
Bake the crust at 425 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil with the beans and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let the crust sit for about 2 minutes until it is no longer piping hot and then brush the bottom and sides with the beaten egg white. Set aside.
Measure out 1 cup of the blueberries, choosing he softest ones. Place them in a medium saucepan together with the 1/2 cup water. Cover and bring them to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Set it aside.
When the water and blueberries have come to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until the blueberries start to burst and the juices begin to thicken. Stirring constantly, add the cornstarch mixture, the sugar, lime juice, and salt. Simmer for a minute or until the mixture becomes translucent. Immediately remove the hot berries from the heat and quickly fold in the remaining 3 cups of blueberries.
Spoon the mixture into the baked pie shell and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. When set, the berries will remain very juicy but will not flow out of the crust.
Just before serving, if desired, pipe or spread the whipped cream around the sides of the pie, leaving the center unadorned and brilliantly glistening. Or, alternatively, put a big dollop of whipped cream right in the center.
Top with chopped candied lime peel, if desired.
STORAGE: Room temperature, up to 2 days (without the whipped cream). Once you add the whipped cream, store in the fridge.
