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Bumbleberry Pie originated in Western Massachusetts where the bumbleberry grows.
I almost had you, didn't I?
There is no such thing as a bumbleberry.
Bumbleberry Magic: The Berry Pie Recipe That Happens When Three Different Berries Get Together For Pie-Making
The combination includes blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and or blackberries. Together the flavor is sweet and tart, at the same time in the same bite. Berry pies, especially those made with blackberries, often use thickeners and fillings to achieve the perfect consistency and flavor.
A homemade bumbleberry pie, whether using fresh or frozen berries, offers a delightful step-by-step process that ensures a delicious and satisfying dessert.
Our Mixed Berry Honey would pair perfectly and deliciously with this recipe
Here on the Eastern Shore in Stevensville, we enjoy the bakery Peace of Cake where they make the best Bumbleberry Pie. We visit at least a few times a summer, for good reason, or for no reason, to indulge. It’s always delicious.
Right now, on the shore, it’s blueberry season. It’s also blackberry and raspberry season. My friend Joyce paid a visit this week with the great gift of fresh grown blueberries and blackberries from her gardens. Enter my desire to make a Bumbleberry Pie from scratch for the first time.
You have to try this pie with our Blueberry Honey!
My First Time Making a Scratch Pie Crust
I have a confession to make. I have never made a scratch pie crust. If I made pie, I picked up the store bought pie crust in the freezer from the market. I never felt like I had time to mess with all the details associated with baking a scratch crust. While I can’t say it was my favorite thing to do, it wasn’t that bad.
Baking the pie crust was not as difficult as I made it out to be and for a first-time pie crust, it turned out quite well. Achieving a flaky pie crust makes for a decent overall quality of a pie, making it tender and delicious.
How to Make Bumbleberry Pie
If you’ve made a pie before, including the scratch crust, this blackberry pie recipe is probably a process that you already know. For me, this was new, and for a first-time pie, it came out beautifully. First, let’s discuss the ingredients:
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semisweet chocolate pieces
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egg
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all-purpose flour
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fresh lemon juice
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Blueberries
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blackberries
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raspberries
This pie recipe can be adapted with different berries. These ingredients come together well if you follow the steps! You’ll also need some cookie cutters for the top. Get creative with the top of this pie, latticework is beautiful, too.
Making Bumbleberry Pie
Once you’ve gathered together the ingredients, it’s time to move on to making this pie. Start by preparing a flaky crust, ensuring it is tender and perfect for your pie. A flaky pie crust is essential for achieving the perfect pie and it begins with preheating your oven to 450°F.
After baking, you can freeze bumbleberry pie for later enjoyment. Wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and it can be frozen for up to three months. For convenience, you can also freeze individual slices for easy defrosting.
First: Prepare and Bake Pie Crust Dough
Prepare the bottom crust dough, divide in two and refrigerate overnight. On a well-floured marble surface, roll out half of the dough to form a 12-inch circle. I bought a silat liner imprinted with different circle sizes; it was super-helpful. Next, line a 9-inch pie dish with dough. Trim and flute edge. Cover pie shell with foil before baking for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for three more minutes until golden brown. Don’t overcook it. Remove pie crust from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate pieces, allow to melt and spread evenly along the bottom of the pie shell and set aside.
Second: Make the Upper Crust
Reduce oven to 375F. To prevent the edges from burning, use a pie crust shield made from aluminum foil. Roll remaining dough to 1/4 inch thickness and with a cookie-cutter selection of your choice, cut shapes in assorted sizes. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and one tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Arrange cookie shapes on Silpat lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart, before baking, lightly brush with the egg wash. Bake the pie crusts and cookies for 7-9 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Third: Make the Pie Filling with Lemon Juice and Berries
In a large saucepan, combine honey, flour, and lemon juice. Add 4 cups of berry mixture to make your pie filling. Stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Remove from heat, add remaining berries and pour the pie filling into an unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish. As the pie bakes, the lemon juice and berry filling will achieve a perfect consistency, making your pie delicious and visually appealing. Bake 10 minutes (cover the edge of the pie to prevent burning). Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Place cookies artfully on top of the pie.
Tip: I mixed up the dough for the crust and refrigerated overnight. I woke up the next morning and baked the pie. It was not overly difficult. It was not a perfect outcome, but it is a very delicious pie.
Adapting our Bumbleberry Pie
You know, a recipe is not truly perfect until you’ve added your own touch to it. That’s why we encourage you to play with your food. Call to your inner chef to come out and play and change up this recipe. Here are some ideas–
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Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
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Skip the chocolate if you aren’t a fan. The pie will be just as good without it.
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Freeze bumbleberry pie for later use by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Consider freezing individual slices for easy defrosting and easy snacking.
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I watched a few videos on making pie crust prior to attempting this, and they helped.
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Consider serving your pie with vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.
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Refrigerate the pie crust for 30 minutes after you roll it out and get it all set-up in the pie dish. This will help reduce shrinking during the first stage of baking.
I hope you’ll give it a try. What I am most proud of was doing this the very first time in a gluten-free way with gluten-free flour. This recipe is also relatively low in sugar.
Start with the pie crust, then bake the homemade bumbleberry pie:
You can use the pie crust for different pie recipes, such as lattice-top pie, mixed berry pie, blackberry pie, apple pie and other fruit pies.
