blueberry crumble pi

Happy Pi Day!  To celebrate, I'm planning to make pizza pi for supper and have just baked a blueberry crumble pi (fondly referred to as humble crumble pie) for dessert.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raw/turbinado sugar
     (plus 1 TBL for sprinkling)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp lemon zest
1 TBL lemon juice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tsp corn starch

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 375 F.  Butter and flour a shallow pie dish or tart pan (you can also cover the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper and then butter the parchment if you wish).

Whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup turbinado sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk the egg, lemon zest and vanilla in a small bowl, dice the butter into small cubes and then add the diced butter and egg mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.  Use a fork (or your fingers) to cut the cubes of butter into the dry ingredients until your dough mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.

Scoop HALF the dough mixture into your prepared pan, and use your fingers to gently press it evenly into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Put the berries into a medium sized bowl, sprinkle the corn starch, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup turbinado sugar (you can use less sugar if you prefer) over the berries. Toss gently with a spoon and then arrange the berries in an even layer over the dough in the pan.  Squeeze the remaining dough mixture with your fingers to form some larger clumps, then distribute the clumps & crumbs in a layer over the berries.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of turbinado sugar over the top and place in the pre-heated oven for approx. 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the berries are bubbling a bit around the edges.

 

Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting wedges.  Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream (and eat the leftovers for breakfast with tea).