By Stacia Carlton
This quick and easy recipe makes for a beautifully bright dessert that you can substitute with any of your favourite fruits. They’re all jam packed with nutrients and vitamins, so you can’t go wrong with any sweet flavour of your choosing. Check out the steps below and impress your guests with this berry filled dessert.
For the crust:
5 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) refrigerated unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1 3/4 cups (11 oz) refrigerated solid vegetable shortening, cut into small chunks
1 cup ice water
Mix together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add butter and using either a pastry cutter, two knives or you hands combine it with the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Next, add the shortening using the same method of breaking it up into the flour/butter mixture until a coarse yet even consistency is attained.
Switching to a wooden spoon, add the ice water and fold dough over until it begins to come together.
Once it starts to hold together, using your hands fold the dough over on itself a few times. It is crucial that you go easy on this stage. You don’t want to overwork the dough, which will result in a tough crust.
Divide the dough into four roughly equal portions and gently form into disks. Wrap these discs in cellophane carefully and pop into a resealable bag, making sure there is no air in the bag.
Allow to sit in the fridge overnight, or at least two hours.
The dough can stay in the fridge tightly wrapped for up to five days or in the freezer for six months.
This recipe makes enough for 4 single crust pies or galettes.
For the berry filling:
3 cups mixed berries (any combination will be delicious)
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp flour
splash of Triple Sec (optional)
Remove one disc of dough from fridge and allow to stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Combine mixture for berries and set aside at room temperature while you roll out the crust.
On a lightly floured surface, rolling from the centre out, roll disc until it is about a 12” round and gently transfer to a sheet of parchment.
Pop the rolled round back into the fridge for 5 or 10 minutes while the oven preheats.
Slide dough and parchment onto a baking sheet with edges.
Mound berries onto centre of round and fold edges in creating a rough pie shape.
Brush edges of crust with milk, cream or egg whites for a golden finish and sprinkle top with sugar.
Finally dot the top of berries with about 1 tbsp of butter for a gorgeous glossy finish.
Bake at 425°F on the middle rack for about 25 minutes.
Allow to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Stacia Carlton is a culinary school honours grad. She believes that healthy and delicious food is attainable for everyone and strives to show others how to make it. Find her at www.bestillandeat.com, where she shares her food adventures and inspires others to join in.
