BLUEBERRY GINGER PIE + WALNUT CRUMB

Let me just tell you about these tinies. It is rare that I love a non-chocolate dessert. RARE. Let me also tell you that I don’t even really like blueberries. But somehow these little babes wormed their way into my heart. The sweet burst of fresh blueberries, the spike of ginger and the crunchy walnut crumb just makes me a happy woman.

This was one of the first desserts I put on the menu at 9 Bakery + Lounge and it always sold out. People love them some blueberries, now! I think this is THE PERFECT summer dessert to make when you have a crowd of people coming over for dinner. Double or triple this recipe and make them a day ahead of time… pop them in the oven on 350 for 10 minutes or so to reheat and then pile some vanilla ice cream on the side and watch as eyes roll back in heads and palms start slapping table tops.

YES.

This recipe makes 6 3-inch pies but you can adjust this recipe and make one big one if you like.  Also, feel free to use a store bought crust. I won’t tell anyone…

In a bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Dice 4 ounces of VERY COLD butter and add to the flour along with 3 1/4 ounces of shortening.

Use your hands and quickly rub the butter and shortening into the flour to combine until it looks like very course cornmeal. It’s perfect if there are little chunks of butter still hanging around. Let them be what they want to be…

Now add 1/2 cup VERY COLD water. It’s best to add half and then more if you need it. Using your hands again, mix the water into the flour and butter just until everything comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat into a thin disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and put into the fridge until you are ready for it. The dough needs to chill out a bit before you roll it out.

Now let’s make the walnut crumble!

Into a bowl, dump 3/4 cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (or nut of your choice), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or AP if you don’t have it), 4 tablespoons melted butter and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix it up and then put it in the fridge so it can hang out with the dough while you make the filling.

So far so good, right?

For the filling, you can use either frozen or fresh blueberries. Or a combination of the two. The point is, you need blueberries, let’s not get technical!

Aren’t they beautiful? I just love them.

Simmer 3 cups blueberries and 1/2 cup maple syrup in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium low heat until the mixture has reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Stir it around every once in a while.

When it has finished reducing, remove the pan from the heat. Add an additional 4 cups of blueberries, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (as a thickener!), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp kosher salt and about 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger. Give it a good stir and then cool the mixture completely.

Take out your pie dough and get to rolling!

First, spray 6 3-inch removable bottom tart pans with non-stick spray and flour your board. (or 1 10-inch pie pan)

On a floured counter, roll the dough out and then cut into rounds slightly larger than your tart pans.

Place the dough rounds into the tart pans and gently press to form the dough into all the flutes. I like to par-bake the dough a bit – weigh the dough down with some rice in a coffee filter and bake on 325 for about 8-10 minutes.

Remove the pie crusts from the oven and brush with a little buttermilk. The protein in the buttermilk creates a little barrier so that the crust doesn’t become soggy from the filling.

Now just fill the shells with that perfect blueberry filling. Leave some room for the crumble!

Cover the filling with the chilled walnut crumble and then bake on a parchment lined baking sheet on 400 for about 30 minutes.

LOVES. Make these like yesterday. Keep one {or 7} for yourself and give the others away. Ok maybe you would need to triple this recipe to make that happen. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?!

I sure do love you all! (especially YOU!)

-Abs

All photos by Lindsey Pruitt.