14 Berry Pie Recipes That Are a Slice Above the Rest (2024)

FAQs

What is the best thickener for berry pies? ›

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.

I do not usually par-bake my fruit pie crusts - this is because with a fresh fruit filling (or even with a cooked fruit filling such as my apple pie or my blueberry crostata), the pie has long enough in the oven that it gives the crust enough time to crisp up properly, removing the need for blind baking.

Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish. You'll need to use twice as much as you would with cornstarch.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 60 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

Berry pies need starch to help thicken the filling because berries give off a lot of juice when they cook. For a typical nine inch pie, you need two tablespoons of flour, cornstarch, or tapioca starch. Tapioca is best because it sets clear, which let's the filling look bright and glossy.

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie.

Non-chilled crust is fairly crumbly and less smooth, which makes it harder to roll out and means it may not look as polished. It will brown more quickly and the final product will likely be tougher, heavier, and more doughy – none of those in a bad way. It will likely have a more intense, butter flavor.

Tapioca-it's not just for pudding! This old-school ingredient may be what your great grandmother used to thicken her pies, and it's still great for making a perfect fruit pie with a clear, stable filling. Tapioca is derived from cassava (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy root native to South America.

Thickening properties: Potato starch has the greatest thickening power of all the common starches and thickens at moderate temperatures. You'll need larger amounts of potato starch, similar to regular flour.

What happens if you put too much cornstarch in pie? ›

If it is used in excess in a pie, the thickener will make the filling gloppy, a gel-like mess. This is found in many store bought pies.

All-purpose flour is an easy substitute for cornstarch; in fact you may see recipes for thickening pie fillings or soups with either. You'll need 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a recipe.

A fruit pie is ready to be pulled from the oven when its juices are bubbling in the center of the pie, not just the sides! Especially if it is a very juicy pie, make sure those bubbles are have a slower, thick appearance to them, as opposed to the faster, more watery bubbles that appear on the edges of a pie at first.

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature that your recipe recommends. Most fruit pies bake at a temperature between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Some recipes call for baking the pie in a 450 degree F oven to begin with, then turning down the oven to about 350 degrees F.

Most say the pie is done if the crust is brown and the filling is bubbling. The truth is it needs to bubble for at least 6 to 10 minutes to properly cook the fruit. This depends on how ripe the fruit was, how thin it was cut and the variety of the fruit.

If you're using fresh berries rather than frozen, you'll need to add a few tablespoons of water until you reach the desired consistency. The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will get. You can also add a bit more cornstarch for thickening, but don't add too much or it will affect the taste.

Many people swear by quick-cooking tapioca as a pie thickener. This starch comes from the roots of the manioc or cassava plant and it's sold as pre-gelatinized pearls.

How to Make Perfect Berry Pie: Cook berries: Simmer berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium heat until warm and juicy, about 5-10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Thicken filling: Spoon out about ½ cup of the juice from the pan into a bowl. Stir cornstarch into the juice until smooth.