I started baking blueberry pies about three years ago.
My first blueberry pie crust was made outta roasted almonds which was simply delish! Yes! I can show you how in another post but, I made this fermented pie crust primarily for those of us who may be allergic to tree nuts.
Fact is, fermentation helps break down the sugars in the flour and makes it more easily digestible. On top of that, because there'll be more blueberries than pie crust, it’ll still be low-carb, legit!
But, talking about blueberries.
Besides the fact that blueberries can help step on the brakes on aging and cancer, they are superfoods that can also help reduce muscle damage after strenuous exercise, help maintain blood and brain function, improve memory and even fight infections!
And with all that in mind, here's how to make the perfect blueberry pie.
Fermented pie crust
INGREDIENTS:-
150g whole grain spelt or pastry flour
1/4t pink salt
15g raw sugar
1t dried herb of choice
100g frozen butter
25g sourdough starter
40g - 60g ice cold water
METHOD:-
1. Combine flour, herb, sugar and salt
2. Grate frozen butter into the above - pea size crumbles - toss to coat
3. Whisk sourdough starter with 40g ice water to form a slurry
4. Add slurry to pea size crumbles, mix to get dough ball
5. Wrap in food wrap and fridge it for at least one hour or overnight for maximum fermentation.
Filling
INGREDIENTS:-
7g unflavoured gelatin powder
3T water
350g fresh blueberries, for cooking
24g monk fruit sweetener or other natural sugar substitute
300g additional fresh blueberries, for toppings
METHOD:-
1. Add water to gelatin powder, leave aside to bloom
2. Add sweetener to blueberries in a saucepan, cook over medium low heat until 80% of fruit turns mushy
3. Turn off heat, pour in bloomed gelatin paste, stir to dissolve completely. Leave aside to cool.
When ready to par bake or blind bake the pie crust or tart shell, preheat oven at 200°C.
Watch internal oven temperature. When it reaches 190°C, dial it down and keep it there while you work on the pie crust.
Sandwich the fermented dough between some baking paper so the dough won't stick to your rolling pin.
Fold dough into an envelope to increase flakiness of the pie dough. Overlap left to right, top to bottom.
Rotate the baking paper as you roll out the dough into a large circle.
Drape the rolled pie crust over oiled or buttered pie pan. Gently press the dough to fill the sides of the pie pan.
Use a fork to dock the dough to prevent blisters from forming during baking.
Cover the pie crust with a clean sheet of baking paper before weighting it down with ceramic baking beans. This'll prevent the dough from pulling away too much from the pie pan and also helps keep its shape.
Bake the pie crust at 190°C for 25 minutes or until the sides turn golden brown. Leave aside to cool.
When ready to assemble the pie, pour cooled blueberry jam into cooled pie crust, spread evenly.
Arrange the remaining blueberries one by one in a circular fashion till it covers the top of the pie.
Cover pie with food wrap and leave it in the fridge to set for at least two hours.
After the pie has set, cut into slices and serve with hot tea or coffee or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
And that’s how to make the perfect blueberry pie! I hope you give this homemade sourdough pie crust recipe a go and if you do make it, remember to #lovelynettetan so that I’d have a chance to admire and ogle at your naturally sweet treat too! Till then, you have a beautiful day!
