There are many reasons to bake a pie.
- To use up the extra fruit you so greedily bought at the farmer’s market.
- To carry on family traditions.
- To make your pie loving husband happy.
- To fulfill your daily requirement of fruit. (And leftovers are perfect for breakfast)
But none of those reasons are why I baked this Blueberry Maple Pie. I’ll be honest, because we’re amongst friends here, right? I just wanted an excuse to buy a multi-wheel pastry cutter. They are the coolest kitchen tool ever!
The crust for this pie is buttery and supremely flaky. The recipe was created by Paul Arguin, winner of the 2017 National Pie Championship. Lots of butter, as you would expect, but just a small amount of shortening to aid in flakiness. There is also a minute amount of baking powder, contributing to the flaky texture. A few teaspoons of cider vinegar prevent excess gluten formation, assisting in preventing a tough crust. Finally, Paul added a hint of cinnamon and a spoonful of maple sugar to the crust for flavour. I can see why he was the 2017 champion.
The filling is sweetened entirely with maple syrup, no sugar. Lemon juice and zest add balance. If you can find wild blueberries, they would make an exceptional pie. I used frozen wild blueberries. No need to thaw them first.
I learned a great tip from blogger Rebecca Blackwell. She uses a combination of tapioca and cornstarch to thicken the filling. She says that, “Too much cornstarch can make fruit pie filling cloudy and give it a slightly chalky taste. Tapioca creates a berry filling that is bright and clear, but can sometimes result in a gluey consistency. Combining smaller amounts of both cornstarch and tapioca is a great solution, creating a glossy, luxuriously silky filling that holds its shape when sliced.”
If you don’t have the inclination or time to make a lattice crust and braided rim, just top the pie with a plain crust. It will still be delicious. If you want to get all fancy, you’ll need to make a double recipe of the pie crust. For the lattice, I did a combo of wide (2 inch) and narrow (3/4 inch) strips. The braid was made using 1/2 inch wide strips. For braiding, it’s important that your dough not be too cold or it will crack. I slice it while cold and then let it soften up a bit before braiding.
Here’s a video showing you how to form the lattice and beautiful braid.
Brush with egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking. Start with a hot (400°F) oven for the first 30 minutes. Then cover the rim with foil and turn down the heat to 375°F for the last 30 minutes.
Do not slice the pie for at least 4-6 hours! It needs time to set up so that you will have slices that look picture perfect! Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream is always a good idea. Any leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge. You can also wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for later. It reheats perfectly.
