Gluten-Free Blueberry+Apple Pie
I wanted to create semi-easy (for easy, just go with a crumble) blueberry-apple pie since I've been craving some baked goodies made from scratch. There is something about baking that makes me so happy... Maybe it's spicy and warming aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander or maybe it's because it brings back many childhood memories for me. Either way, baking is something I don't do a lot of but when I do, it brings a big smile to my face.
I must say that I was not expecting any miracles because working with gluten-free flours can be tricky (especially if you have juicy apples+berries involved), the original recipe calls for all purpose white flour. I was very pleasantly surprised with how amazing it turned out and it actually stayed in one piece without turning into crumbly mess. It tastes so good and nobody will ever know this pie is gluten-free! Now, on to the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
Pie Filling
4 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced (varieties like Gala or Granny Smith)
1 cup of fresh blueberries (frozen will work too)
½ cup organic turbinado sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon coriander
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons of tapioca flour (for jelling of the filling)
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
Pie Crust
16 OZ package of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix (if using a gluten-free flour blend that does not contain xanthum gum you should add 3/4 teaspoon to your mix)
18 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into cubes (I use Kerry Gold grass-fed butter)
6 Tbsp. of ice water (2 more if needed)
METHOD:
Pie Filling
Mix all the ingredients for pie filling in a big bowl and mix together well. Place all the ingredients into a skillet and heat until it starts to boil. This will get well mixed together, will get fruit juices going and tapioca flour will have a chance to start “jelling” our pie filling. Set aside and cool down.
Pie Crust
Pour pie crust flour and chilled butter into food processor and pulse 8-10 times. Transfer the mixture into the mixing bowl, add ice water, and mix with your hands until the dough is formed. Add extra ice water if needed. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, put plastic wrap around them, and put in refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.
Get your dough out of the fridge and start rolling it into 12-inch circles (put 2 pieces of plastic wrap around each piece of dough while rolling to avoid damaging it while transferring into your pie pan). Place the first dough circle into your pie pan and pour a little bit of whisked egg white on top. This will act as a “sealant” to prevent the fruit juices from making your dough soggy. Pour your apple/pear mixture into pie shell. Cover with second dough circle and cut the edges or leave as is to give it more rustic feel. Cut a few holes in the top layer so the water can escape from the apples, otherwise you might end up with exploded apple pie. Put the pie in the freezer for 10 min.
Preheat the oven to 425 F and bake for about 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake it for another 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down and rest for about 1 hour before serving. The pie will keep for 2-3 days, but don’t put it in the refrigerator because it will make it soggy.
Happy baking!
What are you guys baking? Share some of your favorite recipes below, I'd love to learn from you!
