Monday, April 15, 2013

Triple Berry-Rhubarb Birthday Pie...


Youngest daughter reached a milestone birthday last week.
I'm not telling which one, because than you'll think that I'm old, which, of course, I am not.
Anyway, all lying aside, the girl loves pie and wanted a berry-rhubarb pie for her birthday.
Now, here's where things start getting tricky.

I pride myself on being a pretty good cook.
I'm not a fancy or gourmet cook, but I pride myself in being an above average home cook.
Well, pride does go before a fall friend, and pies have always been my fall, or fail.
Mama said I didn't have a light enough hand with the crust.

Youngest daughter is the best pie maker in the family, so I was determined to make her a beautiful birthday pie, now that I have mastered pie crust.
 I have discovered the miracle pie crust secret, which is 1/2 cup of sour cream or greek yogurt in the crust.
At last, I have conquered pie making...
or so I thought.


For the crust:
In a food processor pulse together:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Add 2 sticks, (1 cup) cold butter cut into small pieces
1/2 cup cold plain greek yogurt, (which is what I used), or sour cream
2-3 Tablespoons of icy cold water
and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pulse in food processor just until dough is combined
Form dough into a ball on a sheet of wax paper and chill in refrigerator while you make the filling




For the filling:
3 cups fresh rhubarb
3 cups frozen triple berry mix-raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, 
(since fresh berries aren't in season yet)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
Stir above ingredients together in a mixing bowl and add to unbaked crust in 9 inch pie dish.

The crust rolled out flawlessly.
After I assembled the pie I brushed it with a bit of egg wash, (one egg beaten with a bit of water),  and sprinkled the top with a bit of sugar.
I baked it in a preheated 400 oven for about an hour, until the crust was golden brown.
(I put a foil guard around the pie crust edges for the last 20 minutes or so, so they wouldn't get too dark.)
It looked picture perfect.




But alas, when we cut into the pie, the filling was perfect in sweetness, but too runny.
I guess I still have some pie perfecting work to do.
At least it tasted good, and that crust, it's to die for!

(Now to you expert pie bakers out there, what did I do wrong this time?)


Still following,

(Top photo edited with one layer of Kim's 1301 texture, multiply mode, 30% opacity)




11 comments:

  1. Funny story--long years ago I made my first and only pie crust--I have to say, it was beautiful--a latticed top apple pie--a new neighbor had just moved in and happened to come over to my house that day--she saw the pie and from then on raved to everyone about what an excellent pie baker I was--ha ha

    I earned that very cheaply--so I am not the one to ask about what went wrong--it certainly looks as if everything went great--just beautiful!

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  2. Elizabeth!!! You are so lying about not making pies well, because this one is a beauty! Your crust is definitely perfect. I wonder if I could whip it up without a food processor since I don't have one? I wish I had a slice of your pie with some vanilla ice cream!
    Happy birthday to your daughter:)
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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  3. oh yum! absolutely!

    can I come over for a slice and a cup of tea? NY isn't all that far away!

    Linda

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  4. I don't remember when I last made a pie. There are just some things that I don't even attempt anymore. My husband loves pie, but his mother still makes them for him....my 92-year-old mother used to make wonderful pies, but she has lost the ability to cook as she has lost her short-term memory. I'm not much of a pie-eater, either, so I don't feel encouraged to bake one. (I do use that frozen berry mix--for smoothies!)

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  5. I love pie and those who attempt crust making get my whole-hearted admiration. I gave up on crust making years ago and just enjoy those pies made by others.

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  6. Rhubarb is something you don't hear many people using these days. My grandmother always makes a rhubarb cobbler. :) Have to use plenty of sugar for sure!! ;) Your pie looks beautiful. I'm not an expert and was hoping to read a solution in the comments but my guess would be that there was a good amount of water in the frozen berries compared to using fresh. :/ Maybe thaw them next time? Just a guess. :) I haven't ever made my own pie crust but have always wanted to because I make everything else from scratch. I've just never tried pie crust for some reason....haha, probably because I know if it fails I'll have to eat it anyway! =P

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  7. Boy does that look yummy, since I prefer pies over cakes this is right up my alley. I always loved my Mom's rhubarb, not sure I have had it with the other berries. Beautiful photography.

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  8. Makes me want to make a pie. The yogurt/sour cream sound like a good idea. Let's see.....coconut cream sound really good.....but then I do love rhubarb!

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  9. I wish I could cut off a slice right now. My favorite pie. I first encountered rhubarb in a pie at the old Knott's Berry Farm in the early 1940s. It is still my favorite. Great photography.

    Earl

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  10. Yummy! No calories, right? Looks absolutely delicious!
    ~Adrienne~

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  11. you are so very generous to give away your SECRET ingredient! I most definitely will try this!!!

    xo + blessings,
    Anne Marie
    p.s. we don't even have rhubarb yet over here...too cold!

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