Huckleberry Pie

Move over, apple pie! This delicious huckleberry pie is sure to be a hit at your family gathering this Christmas.

Pie Crust Ingredients

1 cup cold water
2 tsp vinegar
3 1/2 cups of flour
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
4 tablespoons cane sugar
1 1/2 cups of butter, cubed

Egg white, for brushing on crust prior to cooking

Method

Making a homemade piecrust doesn’t have to be difficult. This recipe makes enough to have both a top and bottom crust, but if you want just the bottom crust, cut the recipe in half. If using a store-bought crust, skip to the filling recipe.

Combine the water and vinegar in a glass measuring cup and place in the freezer while getting the rest of your ingredients together. Cube butter and place it in the freezer to chill. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar. Using your hands, squish the butter cubes into the flour mixture to blend.

Slowly add the water and vinegar mixture to the flour. If the dough seems wet, don’t worry. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and gently knead the dough to incorporate the extra flour. Form the dough into a disk, put into a covered container, and set in the fridge to chill for one hour.

After one hour, remove the dough from fridge and roll out to around three inches larger than the pie dish. Fold the dough in half and place in a buttered pie dish and unfold. Carefully press the dough into the dish to remove any air bubbles. Trim off excess dough and pinch the edges along the dish to form the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least an hour before filling.

Filling Ingredients

8 cups fresh or frozen huckleberries
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup cane sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Method

Now make the filling. If using frozen huckleberries, it is essential to completely thaw and drain the berries before using, otherwise there will be too much liquid in your pie filling. In a large bowl, add huckleberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, cane sugar and cinnamon, stirring just to combine.

Pour filling into the chilled pie crust. At this point, if you want to make a double crust pie you can add your top crust, making sure there are slits in the crust to let steam escape. You could also make a lattice design or add cut outs (as seen in the picture).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While waiting for oven to preheat, brush egg white over the crust and sprinkle with a bit of sugar if desired. Place pie on middle rack of preheated oven, with a tray on the lower rack to catch any mess if the filling bubbles over. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. If you find the crust is browning too much, cover with tinfoil for the remainder of baking time.

Allow to cool for a minimum of three hours before serving to allow the filling to set up. Serve with ice cream.