Author Notes
I made these individual pies for the first time last summer, when blueberries were abundant at the farmer’s market. It’s pretty sweet, so I topped mine with plain Greek yogurt, but unsweetened whipped cream or dark chocolate ice would work well too. The crust recipe is adapted from Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques’ recipe for pâte sucrée. —Cristina Sciarra
Ingredients
- Crust (Yields 1 pound of dough, so you will have extra)
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1 ¼ cups all purpose flour, sifted
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1 pinch of salt
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1 tablespoon light brown sugar
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8 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced thinly and very cold
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1 egg
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1-2 tablespoon of ice water
- Filling
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1 ½ cups blueberries
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
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½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
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¼ cup maple syrup
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2 tablespoons salted butter
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½ tablespoons light brown sugar
Directions
- Crust (Yields 1 pound of dough, so you will have extra)
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About an hour before you plan to make the crust, cut the butter into little cubes or thin slices. Move the butter to the freezer, so it gets nice and cold. (This will contribute to a flakier crust later.)
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Add the sifted flour, the brown sugar and the salt to a large bowl; give everything a quick stir. Retrieve the butter from the freezer and, using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients. This is a therapeutic activity. When you’re finished, you should have a texture, as the French say, like sand.
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In a small bowl, beat the egg. Make a little well in the middle of your “sand,” and pour the egg into it. Using a pastry scraper (any flat utensil will do), work the mixture gently. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together.
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Empty the dough onto a cold, lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a disk, being careful not to overwork it. Wrap the disk in plastic, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. (This can be done up to two days ahead; for longer storage, move the dough to the freezer.)
- Filling
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Preheat the oven to 375F.
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Wash the blueberries. When they are completely dry, toss them with the cornstarch in a small bowl.
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On medium-high, heat the butter, the brown sugar and the maple syrup. Stir to incorporate the brown sugar. When it starts to bubble gently, add the blueberries. Stir occasionally until the mixture is syrupy and the blueberries start to break down, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool.
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Remove the dough from the fridge, and on a lightly floured work surface, roll enough dough to fit 2 individual tart or pie shells. Empty the cooled blueberry filling into the pie molds, and then cover each pie with more dough in the style of your choosing.
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Move the pies onto a baking sheet (this will prevent you having to clean blueberry goop from the bottom of your oven). Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pies are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
Cristina is a writer, cook, and day job real estate developer. She studied literature, holds an MFA in Fiction Writing, and completed the Basic Cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She lives in Jersey City with her husband--a Frenchman she met in Spain--and their sweet black cat, Minou. Follow her writings, recipes, publications and photography at theroamingkitchen.com.
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