Baby Blueberry Pies with Maple Ice Cream
Has there ever been an ice cream intervention? I think I may need one. At the very least, someone needs to take this ice cream machine away from me.
I got it in my mind weeks ago, when blueberries first started showing up, to make little blueberry pies. I envisioned them at first as galettes, but wanted them more deep-dish, so settled on little tarts. But they sound better if you call them little pies, don’t they? Most berry pies have lids, but I love that these are topless – berries exposed and not stifled by too much pastry. It’s too hot for lids, anyway. The filling is ever so slightly tart and juicy – not too sweet and cornstarch-gluey – a perfect vehicle for ice cream. I sweetened mine with maple syrup, but honey or brown sugar would be pretty fab, too.
Baking on an evening like this, after 12 hours on the grounds yesterday and another few this afternoon, plus dinner (a quick frittata, guacamole and salad made with fresh greens a nice person brought to me at the Stampede kitchen theatre from the Cedarbrae community garden) is evidence that a) baking need not be a big production, and b) is in fact a way to wind down, not stress you out. And it doesn’t need to take a lot of time – I had a disc of pastry in the freezer, and to roll, cut and fill cups (W helped) took maybe 20 minutes.
As they baked, I stirred together a cup of whipping cream and a cup of 2% milk with 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (try honey or packed brown sugar instead if you like) and poured it into the ice cream machine – less work than whipping cream. You don’t have to stand there with the beaters, anyway. The 2% made it ever so slightly icy-refreshing and creamy rather than overly heavy. We served it up soft – straight from the machine – rather than hardening it up in the freezer. Who can wait that long?
Also, it was great to pick up the phone and call across the street to ask if anyone there might like a warm blueberry pie with maple ice cream. Tip: this is how to lure teenagers out of their bedrooms.
Baby Blueberry Pies
Pastry for a single crust pie
Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp. lemon juicePreheat the oven to 400F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/4″ thick and cut into 3″ rounds with a cookie cutter or glass rim; press into each of 12 muffin cups.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch to get rid of any lumps; add the berries and lemon juice and toss to coat. Fill shells. Bake until crusts are golden and filling is bubbly, about 25 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each tart and remove while still warm; if they cool completely, any overflowing goo will cool and stick to the pan.
Makes 12 pies.
July 18 2010 | dessert | 20 Comments »
