Gingery Mixed Berry Pie

Gingery Mixed Berry Pie
Peter DaSilva for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Rating
5(570)
Comments
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Mixed berry pie is the ultimate summertime treat: Handfuls of the season’s finest blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are tucked into a crisp, buttery crust that’s just begging to be served with a scoop of ice cream. Fresh ginger lends unexpected warmth and spice to this well-loved classic, but for a little punch, add up to 1 tablespoon of very finely minced candied ginger. If you find yourself short on one type of berry, make up the difference with another — just make sure the berries are the best you can find. For a crisp bottom crust, bake the pie in the lower third of your oven until it is deeply golden and the fruit juices are bubbling, and don’t skip the lattice top. It’s not just for looks: The vents help steam escape and the berry juices to concentrate.

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Ingredients

Yield:One 9-inch pie

    For the Filling

    • cup/140 grams granulated sugar
    • 1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    • 5tablespoons/40 grams cornstarch
    • 2teaspoons very finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
    • 1tablespoon candied ginger, finely minced (optional)
    • 4cups/592 grams blueberries
    • 2cups/288 grams blackberries
    • 2cups/246 grams raspberries
    • 1tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • Pinch kosher salt

    To Finish

    • 1egg for egg wash
    • 2teaspoons turbinado sugar
    • ¼teaspoon flaky salt, like Maldon, not table salt

    For the Crust

Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until well combined and fragrant. Stir in the cornstarch, fresh ginger and candied ginger (if using). Add the blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to the bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the top, but don’t stir quite yet. Let sit while you make the dough.

  2. Step 2

    Place one disk of the pie dough on a lightly floured surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-inch-wide circle ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, trim any rough edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang, and set it in the fridge while you roll the other crust and cut the lattice.

  3. Step 3

    Roll the second disk of pie dough into a circle roughly 12 inches wide and ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut the dough into strips about 1½ inches wide.

  4. Step 4

    Gently stir the filling together until well mixed and pour it into the pie dish. Press gently to pack down the berries into the dish.

  5. Step 5

    Weave the dough strips into a lattice. Trim off any excess dough and fold the edges of the bottom crust up and over the lattice strips. Crimp together the edges. Slide the whole pie into the freezer until the crust is very firm, about 15 minutes. While the pie is chilling, heat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the bottom third of the oven.

  6. Step 6

    After the pie has chilled, place it on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Beat the egg, then brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar and flaky salt.

  7. Step 7

    Bake the pie until it is deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. If the crust begins to burn before the filling bubbles, tent it with aluminum foil. Cool before serving.

Ratings

5 out of 5
570 user ratings
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Comments

I personally cannot stand the gluey taste and texture that cornstarch creates. So in recipes that call for berries, I generally use frozen berries. I thaw them overnight and drain away all the juice (it's great to drink up, or mixed in with lemonade); there is no need for cornstarch any more. Or if you're using fresh berries, macerate them with some sugar and place over a sieve (mash them a bit to help release the juices) and remove the juice.

Followed the recipe as written. Chose not to use candied ginger, just the fresh stuff it calls for. The pie is fantastic. I was concerned the ginger might be too spicy, but it added just the right amount of warmth to the recipe. The berries are not tart. It's great with vanilla ice cream. Used Melissa Clark's pie crust recipe.

I always use quick-cooking tapioca rather than tapioca starch, again, 3 TBS for a berry or rhubarb pie. The few times of tried cornstarch or flour I haven't been very happy.

(The candied ginger idea sounds good; a little bit of cloves in a berry pie can be a nice subtle variation as well - thought courtesy of the blueberry pie recipe in an old standby that is excellent for pies - The Spice Cookbook (1964)).

This might be the best berry pie filling I have ever tasted! I did follow the advice of another commenter: After preparing the crust and filling, I followed the steps for assembling the pie that appear in Sam Sifton’s blueberry pie recipe (step three onwards). Everything came out perfectly!

This is my technique for achieving a crisp bottom crust: Place baking stone on bottom shelf of oven. Lay a sheet of parchment over the stone to catch any drips. Preheat oven to 450 for at least half an hour. Place chilled pie (in *metal* tin--not glass or ceramic, which might break) directly on hot stone. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking until juices are bubbly. Top and bottom crusts are beautifully crisp, but I have no problem with a burned top crust.

Great flavor but beware of how much liquid is in the pie. The cornstarch did not combat the fresh berries enough at all for us. Pie crust was great… wouldn’t take this pie to a party baking it the way it was instructed. Almost needed a straw

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