BLACKBERRY PIE

Black berries are seasonal right now, I have a bumper crop of bushes with berries as big as your fist! Don't be fooled by the store bought blackberries even though they're fresh. Blackberries ripen on the vine, if picked unripe (which is usually the case) they are sour and remain so and then they rot, so I highly suggest you find someone with a blackberry grove or a number of bushes and pick only the ones which fall off easily. Blackberries should be treated with respect.They are delicate yet rich,subtle but full of flavor.This time of year, late summer, it's blackberry pie, waffle, pancakes, crumble, cobbler, juice etc. time.

Good Luck!

P.S. You Can Substitute Blackberries and Use Blueberries or Fresh Cherries.or mix 'em. YUMMY

This will be a DEEP DISH PIE!
Preheat oven 180 fan assisted
250 american ovens

Follow my recipe for crust in sweet potato pie post

Ingredients:

• 3 and 1/2 pounds fresh sweet juicy blackberries


• 1 cup light brown muscavado sugar


• 1 cup caster or plain sugar


• 1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (if available) or plain ground nutmeg


• 1 tsp cinnamon


• a pinch of allspice


• juice 1 lemon


• 1 tsp salt


• 1 table spoon vanilla ESSENCE not flavoring


• 25 grams butter (salted)


• some choice music playin at all times ,oh and 1 egg for brushing pastry
  

You will need bottom and top crust so instead of freezing half of dough as I suggested in sweet potato pie recipe, you will need all of the dough.

1/4 cup of flour for rolling out half of the pastry. Refrigerate other half till later. A deep pie dish is ideal but i've been known to use cake pans (slightly fluted) roll out pastry so it hangs generously over edge of pan. Oil pan lightly if non stick and gently place pastry making sure it is snug and even in dish. Brush with beaten egg as this will prevent the dough becoming soggy. Rinse berries well in cold water,drain well and empty on top of pastry and distribute evenly.

Sprinkle lemon juice, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices and i always drizzle 2 teaspoons of honey on top. Place pats of butter on top 6 little slices(butter) should do. This is a very juicy pie, so be warned.

Retrieve the other half of pastry out of fridge and roll out. This is for the top of pie. Roll so it hangs over the sides of dish generously, fold bottom pastry over the top around the edge of pie and with a fork flute the edges all the way around so the pie is nice and tucked in, pierce top with fork (so steam can escape) and brush the top of pie with beaten egg.

Have a large baking tray in oven to catch escaping juices.
Bake for 45 mins or until it's bubbling juice and golden brown.

I let mine rest for an hour or so, and then i put small hole in edge of crust and pour excess juice in a container, and boy is it heaven!

Serve with champagne flavored whip cream or you fav ice cream but know boys and girls; it's the bomb by itself!

Happy baking!
Love
Taka