The job of family baker, and I'm guessing that's you since you're reading this, is a special one. You get to tempt taste buds with a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies and Sunday morning cinnamon buns, and everyone ooh and ahhs over your creations. Yes, baking is work and there isn't always a lot of time to make the magic happen, but when the time is there and the ingredients are handy, there's something empowering about being the one with the white thumb (like a green thumb, but dusted in flour).
Unless of course they don't ooh and ahh. Unless they say no thanks, I don't really like pie/those cookies/that kind of cake today. Yes, there are people out there, including one in my very own home, who are extra particular about what they eat or don't have a single sweet tooth to count. Or they do have a sweet tooth but it belongs to candy. Let's not pretend it makes sense, it's not logical. We can only hope to win them over one day.
Then there are the home baking superfans. I have one of those in my house too. He jumps up and down at the mere mention of pie, takes a first slow bite then rolls his eyes back in his head and pretends to fall off his chair. Yup, those are the hero moments for the family baker. Those are the moments when you swing your apron around to the back like a cape and take the dramatic bow you deserve because you. are. that. good.
Blueberry pie in butter pastry is a winner. This recipe uses frozen blueberries so you can whip one up any time of year and be the family baking marvel that you are. Who knows, maybe you'll even convince the tough to please.
Blueberry Pie (using frozen berries)
BUTTER PASTRY
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1 egg
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp water
FILLING
4 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
Extra granulated sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To make the pastry, stir the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter using a hand pastry blender or two knives working across each other (or pulse all ingredients so far a few times in a food processor) until coarsely blended and there's not much flour dust left in the bottom of the bowl. In a small dish, beat the egg, vinegar and water. Add to the butter mixture and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Form the dough into two balls. Roll out one ball on a floured surface and transfer to an 8 or 9-inch pie plate. Set the other ball aside.
To make the filling, combine the blueberries, sugar, flour and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Stir to coat the berries. Pour into the pie shell and spread out evenly. Cut the butter into pieces and dot across the filling. Roll out the second ball of dough on a floured surface. Transfer to cover the filling. Crimp edges and cut a few slashes in the centre for a vent. Dust pie top with extra granulated sugar.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 65 to 75 minutes until the filling can be seen bubbling through the vent. If the edge is getting dark while baking, cover with foil.
NOTE: A hot-from-the-oven blueberry pie tends to be soupy. It's best to let it cool back almost to room temperature, or chill it after it cools, to allow the filling to fully set.
What do you bake that makes you feel like a hero?