Lavender Thyme Strawberry Rhubarb Mini Pies with Almond Crumble and Fennel Crust
Johanna's Table
- Serves
- 15 Mini Pies
Lavender Thyme Infused Strawberry Rhubarb Miniature Pies with Almond Crumble and Fennel Seed Crust
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 Homemade or Trader Joe's Pie Crust (enough for 2 9-inch crusts)
- 1 tablespoon pestled fennel seeds
- 1 egg white only
- Coconut Oil Spray
Filling and Crumble
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, diced
- 1 pound fresh rhubarb, diced
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 lemon, squeezed
- 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon culinary lavender
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 5 tablespoon butter, chopped into cubes
Featured Video
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Either make your homemade pie crust or if you have to buy a store bought one the best I have every had is the one from Trader Joe's in the frozen section; With a mortar and pestle, crush the fennel seeds as much as possible until they become a powder. Sift through sieve to get one tablespoon worth of the fennel seed powder; Combine the one tablespoon of fennel seed powder with the pie crust dough and knead together until evenly distributed and form into a ball. Place in fridge if too soft; Roll out the dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin until flattened; Spray your cupcake pan with coconut oil; Using a circular cookie cutter or a knife, cut out a 4 inch circle or so and press it into the cupcake pan to make sure the dough is well situated and there are no air bubbles; Repeat for each one, should make 15 with filling; Use remaining pie crust with a ravioli cutter to create a trim for the miniature pies like the one in the picture; and Brush egg white on each pie crust.
- Step 2
To create the crumble, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, sliced almonds together and use pestle to break up the almonds and sugar; and Add the cubes of butter and mix it with your hands until you have a flour crumble that is well mixed. Set aside.
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350 F; To create the filling, place the butter, culinary lavender and thyme leaves in a pan large enough to hold on the remaining ingredients over medium-low heat; Once the butter is melted and the mixture begins to smoke ever so slightly, add the lemon juice and rhubarb stir together for a couple minutes; Reduce the heat to low and add the sugars, extracts and strawberries. Mix well; Lastly, add the cornstarch and remove from heat once well mixed. This is just to help with the cooking process in the oven, not to actually fully cook the ingredients. Using a medium/ small laddle, scoop mixture into each miniature pie crust. I like to scoop the rhubarb and strawberries out first and then place the remaining liquid in each to make sure it is evenly distributed; Top with the almond crumble using your hands; Bake in oven at 350 F on the middle rack for 45-60 minutes; and Let cool completely before removing from the cupcake pan.