Blackberry Mini Pies

Since baking is my absolute favorite thing to do in the kitchen I thought it was fitting that I should start out by sharing the best pie crust recipe I've ever come across. I decided to make several mini pies to freeze but once the dough is made do whatever suits your fancy. One recipe makes 4 mini pies, 2 single crust pies or 1 double crust.

To start out with put a few ice cubes in a small cup and fill with at least ¼ cup of water. Set aside for later. Next measure out the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the chunked butter like so.

Use a pastry blender or a fork if you don't have a blender to cut the butter into the flour until it becomes the texture of wet sand or coarse cornmeal. There should be no big chunks of butter left.

Next add the milk, oil, water and my secret ingredient.....vodka!! No seriously, vodka makes pastries super flaky and here's why. Flour forms gluten very easily in water but too much gluten makes for a really tough crust. Vodka however has a high percentage of ethanol in it which does not form gluten with flour but still provides moisture to help the dough stick for rolling it out. In the baking process, all the alcohol vaporizes, leaving an incredibly soft, flaky pastry. If your dough isn't sticking together with the amounts given add water 1 tsp at a time until the dough just starts sticking together.

Now sprinkle plenty of flour on a large clean counterspace. For mini pies, separate a piece of dough about the size of your fist, form into a ball and place in the middle of the flour. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top and start rolling! A few tips: roll from the center to the perimeter in one direction at a time, not back and forth; as the crust gets bigger make sure to lift the edges and push more flour underneath to prevent it from sticking to the counter...and keep sprinkling the top so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is about 1/8 in thick. Carefully lift up the dough and set it in the pie tin making sure it reaches all the way down to fill the corners. Repeat four times for the bottom crusts.

For the filling place the washed berries in a medium mixing bowl and add the flour and sugar. Mix together and you should have this odd looking mess on your hands.

Spoon the filling into the pie crusts you've all ready made. Now roll out the tops and lay them over the filled bottom crusts. Crimp together the crusts with your fingers or you can use a fork to press them together. Lastly, use a butter knife to cut around the edge of the tin to remove the excess dough and cut vents in the top of the pie. Just a note: I used the extras I cut off from around the edge to make my fourth pie so if you seem to be running out when you're making your tops just cut of the extra and keep going.

If you can't resist having a pie right away or made one large one just skip ahead to the baking instructions and enjoy!! Otherwise place the pies in separate freezer bags and freeze for future enjoyment.

Blackberry Mini Pies

Crust:

3 cups flour

2 sticks butter, cut into chunks

¼ cup oil

¼ cup milk

2 tbsp ice water

2 tbsp vodka

Cut butter into flour. Add all liquids and stir until dough begins clumping together. Using a fist-sized lump of dough, roll dough into four crusts. Fill crusts with blackberry filling. Roll remaining dough into four more crusts, place on top, crimp, and cut vents. Place pies in freezer bags. To bake, let pie thaw overnight in the refrigerator with the bag tented so it is not touching the crust. Once thawed, baste the top of the pie with milk and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 375 and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Blackberry Filling:

5 cups blackberries

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

This makes enough filling for four mini pies or 1 large pie.

Now what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and try it!!