Star-Spangled Berry Pies

I love the 4th of July, especially where I live. It's one of those seaside Mayberry-type-of-towns where everyone displays their flags and banners, dresses up their homes, classic cars and their bikes too! During the day all kinds of festivities go on, concerts in the park, pie eating contests, the smell of BBQ all over the place, streets are closed for neighborhood block parties and Summer is all over the place! The best part comes at night of course with the fireworks finale AND the best part is I get to see all of this from my very own front yard!

Love it!

So...to celebrate this year at our annual BBQ I am baking individual mixed berry pies. With all the berries in season you can't go wrong. So go purchase your favorite antioxidants aka berries, dust off your baking tools, put that apron on and dive right in. They are easy to make and you'll be sure to impress your hostess when you show up with these show stoppers along with some vanilla bean ice cream. Delish!

TOOLS

1 12-cup muffin/cupcake tin

rolling pin

2 large mixing bowls

measuring cups and spoons

wax paper

plastic wrap

cooling rack
2-1/2" star cookie cutter
4" round cookie cutter or ramekin
small bowl
whisk
pastry brush

INGREDIENTS

BERRY MIX

2 cups mixed berries: raspberries, blueberries and strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp flour

rind of 1 lemon

vanilla bean ice cream - optional

DOUGH

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cubed

1/2 cup cold shortening cubed

2-4 tbsp ice cold water
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar for sprinkling

Cut the butter and shortening into 1/2" cubes and freeze them while you measure and mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, salt, sugar and stir to make sure all ingredients are well mixed. Then add all the frozen cold cubed butter and shortening. Make sure to coat each piece with the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or sink your fingers into the flour mixture and begin pinching the butter and flour mixture together, making thin, floury disks of the butter. Continue working the mixture until the butter is broken down to pea size beads and then to a loose mixture that resembles wet sand. Drizzle each tablespoon of ice cold water carefully until the dough holds together.

Turn the dough out onto a clean floured work surface or sheet of wax paper. Gather the dough and knead a few times into a smooth mound and then flatten to form a round disk. 
Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours.

In the meantime while the dough is chillin' work on the berry mix. In the second mixing bowl add the berries, sugar, salt, flour and lemon rind. Mix gently and make sure all berries are evenly coated. That's it. Your berry mixture is ready. 

Once the dough is chilled, roll out the dough with the rolling pin to about 1/4" thick. Using a 4"round cookie cutter or large glass or ramekin cut your circles and gently place them into each muffin cup. No need to butter the cupcake mold. The pies will pop right out. Gently press down to form a 'cup'. Do this for each cup and with the scraps roll the dough again to 1/4" thick and use the star shaped cookie cutter. Press and form 12 star tops. Try to handle the dough as least possible. The more you roll the dough the tougher it will cook and won't be flaky.  Refrigerate the muffin tin for about 1/2 hour to cool the dough before placing the berry mixture.

Add about 1-2 tablespoons of the berry mix into each muffin cup. Top with the star topper. Separately crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over each star and sprinkle with sugar. Brush around the edge of the pie too!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake the mini pies for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden.
Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes and allow to cool down to a comfortable warm before you attempt to remove the pies. With a butter knife carefully pry each pie out, they should lift right out without breaking.
Makes 12 small pies. For larger crowds or if you want leftovers I recommend doubling the recipe.

Happy 4th of July!