New Jersey, my home state, is the nation’s largest grower of blueberries. And you know what that means? We get ‘em fresh and in abundance!
There’s a Blueberry Pie recipe on this blog already, but this one is slightly different- it’s semi-homemade using prepared G-F Pie Crust from Whole Foods Brands, and of course, it’s sporting a crumb topping.
I love this one more than the first…the crumbs get toasty and have a nice “bite” to each mouthful! And it doesn’t hurt that it was less work. HaHa!
Ingredients:
1 Pre-Made Gluten Free Pie Crust ( Whole Foods Brand, here) This is the Bottom Crust.
For Crumb topping:
- 1 cup All-Purpose G-F Flour (Such as Bob’s Red Mill, or your preference)
- 1 teas Salt
- 4 tbsp COLD salted Butter or Vegetable shortening
- ½ teas Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 Tbsp Cold Water ( More if dough feels very dry)
- ½ teas Cinnamon
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
Pie Filling:
- 3 Pints Fresh Blueberries, Picked clean of stems, washed and dried
- 1 Tart Apple, cored, peeled, and grated. After grating squeeze apple shaving in a towel to remove moisture or pie is very wet
- 1 tsp. Lemon Zest and 1 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp. Cornstarch
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teas. Salt ( not sea salt)
- 1 teas. Butter-to dot on top of berries before baking.
The first thing you need to do is prepare the dough for the Crumb Topping.
Combine the dry ingredients for the topping first, and then add the butter, “cutting” it in with a pastry blender tool or 2 forks.
Now add the wet ingredients and combine, using the pastry blender or forks, and eventually with your clean hands, until you have a ball of dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 45 min. to 1 hour.
Now prepare the filling:
In a saucepan, place half of the blueberries over low heat. As they begin to warm and then simmer, mash with a potato masher or anything that will crush them. Keep simmering until they’re reduced to half of amount you began with. Stir well and keep an eye on them. Remove from heat and place in a bowl to cool for about 15 minutes.
In a larger bowl, place the remaining ingredients, including the other, raw blueberries, lemon zest & juice, salt, cornstarch . Add the first berries and combine well with a spatula or wooden spoon, folding under as you combine well.
Pour in the pre-made pie shell and dot with the teaspoon of butter (separated into 4 tiny pieces) scattered about the top.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the chilled ball of dough, unwrap and place in a medium sized bowl. Using the pastry blender tool or forks, create crumbs. What we’re doing is crumbling the dough until the tiny balls of it are about the size of peas. Sprinkle all over the berry mixture.
Place the pie on a baking sheet ( this promotes even distribution of heat and helps the bottom crust bake.) and then place in that 400 degree oven on the lowest shelf for 20 minutes, than reduce heat to 350, for another 45 minutes.
The crumbs should be a golden color and rim of pie also golden. I use a pie “protector ring” on my crust so it doesn’t burn.
These are available at most kitchen specialty shops. Here in the Northeast we have “Bed, Bath and Beyond” where I got mine! If the crust seems to be getting too brown, you can even cut a few strips of aluminum foil and make your own protective cover for the rim. Don’t cover the whole pie, just the outer crust.
Cool the pie on a rack for at least 2 to 2 ½ hours, before serving.
For a second day’s serving, if there’s any left, keep in fridge.
Hope you like it. I love this and have to force myself to stop eating it! But then, we have a major sweet tooth in my family!
