MULBERRY PIE + PIE CRUST

MULBERRY PIE + PIE CRUST
 Making pie crust can be considered a art form, you can make it fancy, picture perfect.  My self I prefer making it rustic, I want it too look like it was made by me. :)     Okay let's get ready to enter the Buttered zone!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Sticks butter.
8 cups of flour
13 to 12 Table spoons of ice water.
4 cups Mulberrys.
2 cups dried black beans, for Blind baking.
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour.

 Two WHOLE stick of butter Oh my!
My pastry knife finally kicked the bucket, it was old. It was originally my Oma's in Germany.  So the next best thing is a metal spatula with a non stiff handle, it gives a little and make the perfect replacement. 

 Chop chop chop.












 Keep Chopping

Now get your fingers in the mixture and squish all the butter until it is incorporated into the mixture. So Squish squish and squish with both hands.

Until you have something that resembles bread crumbs.

Next add about 5 table spoons of ice chilled water and mix in.  You should be able to grab a clump and it should hold it's shape as you mix in the water.   Don't let this part intimidate you.  It will fall apart, crack and do all sort of weird thing.   Think happy thoughts and think of making a snow ball.  That is what we are going for.  Snow Ball.  :)

Using both hands start making a some what compacted snow ball, get as much of it as you can to into a ball.  And if their is a little left over in the mixing bowl that's okay.   Put your creation on a lightly floured board.

Ta da.  Well not quite round, but it will do.

Uh oh some dough left in the mixing bowl and it's too dry.  Add the rest of the water sparingly and mix in.

Now stack it on top of your creation.  Stunning.  And their will be lot's of crumbs.  Think of snow ball, be one with the Snow ball.  You zen moment.  This is were your going to compact it over and over by pressing in as you would when making a snow ball.  Yes it will still crack a chunk or two might fall off.  Don't panic.   If you think it is still to dry wet your hands under the water faucet, shack and the dampness of your hand will help.    Just keep working it.   Remember your not kneading your compacting and as your compacting you can pick up all the scrapes of dough.

And here we go.
Wrap this tight in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 35 to 40 minutes.

Out of the refrigerator.
Cut in half. The left side will be the bottom of the pie and the right side will be the top.  Wrap up the right side and refrigerate.

Tear off a large piece of parchment paper.  And put over dough as you roll it out.  Don't worry about what the dough does, just keep rolling.

If you have a nice large area just keep rolling.
This is just to show you the dough underneath.

Now gently wrap the dough around the rolling pin.  You see the large area that has no flour. Lightly flour it again.  The flour help the dough move on the cutting board when you roll it. If their is no flour it will not spread out any more.

All floured underneath and I rolled it out some more.

Here is my glass pie dish face down on the dough.

Cut around it, even the handles.  

Again use the roller to wrap the dough around it gently.

All the way. This keeps it from ripping.

Now butter the glass pie dish even the handles and edges.

Unroll the dough to the handles line up.

Remember those scraps.  Us the parchment paper and roll it out.

Cut into four strips.    This is my method, if you're like huh? do what your use to.

Have some of the ice water handy and wash each side in water to create a bond.  Gently squish it together.   And I'm not going to perfection.

Stick a fork in it.  No really.  press the sides down with a fork to create a good bond.

My master piece.  Sloppy. :)
Next poke the bottom with the fork like you never poke before.  Have a boss you hate?  Invision him on the bottom.  Don't get too wild.

Beans.  Black Beans.  Didn't have any Pinto beans so this will do.   Were going to Blind Bake the pie now, so the bean will weigh down the crust and keep it from rising.  Set the oven on 350 and bake it for 20 minutes or until slightly golden.  However it dose not have to be golden, it can look like the bottom picture.  And keep and eye on it, because all ovens run different.

Done Blind Baking.  Scoop our the beans, but don't discard them.  Keep them in a container for the next time you make a pie.

Yes the Mulberries.  While the pie was blind baking I removed the steams.

Mix in 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup flour.
If you want to add more sugar or think you have a better idea. Go for it.  But my hubby and I were very pleased with our results.

Put the berries in the pie crust.

Roll out the second half of the dough as you did the first.   Pick it up and drape the whole piece of dough over the top of the pie.   With a knife gently cut around the bottom about a inch from the edge of the glass pie dishes rim.  And don't worry if some the of under crust breaks or has it's moments.  But as gently as you can tuck the soft dough inbetween the rim of the glass and the Blind baked crust.  Now if you want to coat it with a egg wash go for it.  And cut holes at the top so the steam can escape.

In to the oven.    375 for 45 minutes.

Nice and golden flack crust.   Rest for a hour, so the pie can breath.  This step is important.

Cut and eat.  Ohhh so yummy.