Juneberry Pie
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 8 to 10
Grandma Mary B. was known for pie and her juneberry pie was a favorite. I never tasted her version, but after making this pie, I understand why people enjoyed a slice. The apple-blueberry flavor of the juneberry marries beautifully with lemon, vanilla, and cinnamon while the buttery crust pairs nicely with the sweet filling.
I’ve spent years working on my pastry skills and am pleased with the results of the crust of this pie. In my experience, there are several keys to successful handling of pastry: 1) Knead the dough briefly, which helps create lamination; 2) Chill the dough discs for at least 2 hours before rolling; 3) Allow the dough to warm a bit (5 to 7 minutes) at room temperature before rolling to avoid cracking; 4) Assemble and freeze the entire pie for at least 30 minutes before baking to avoid shrinking.
Ingredients:Crust1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup whole wheat flour2 teaspoons kosher salt (Reduce to 1 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)2 tablespoons sugar1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed1/2 refined coconut oil, room temperature 1/2 cup ice water (1 to 2 additional tablespoons if needed)
Filling5 cups juneberries (fresh or frozen)3/4 cup granulated sugar1 lemon, zested and juiced1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 teaspoon cinnamon
Egg wash1 large egg1 tablespoon water
Instructions:1. To make the crust, mix together the flours, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.2. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and coconut oil until fine crumbs form. 3. Add 1/2 cup ice water to the mixture. Stir to combine. If the mixture is too dry to form a dough when pressed together, add an additional tablespoon or two of ice water, one at a time, to form a loose dough.4. Turn the dough mixture out onto a clean, un-floured worksurface. Knead until a dough forms. Divide the dough in two. Form each half of the dough into a round, flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 5. While the dough is chilling, make the filling by combining the juneberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, flour, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine.6. Cook the mixture over medium heat on the stovetop until the mixture boils—stir frequently until the berries release their juices so that the sugar doesn’t burn. Boil for 5 minutes or until the filling is thick and glossy. 7. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and cool at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the pie. 8. To prepare the double crust for the pie, work with one disc of dough at a time starting with the lattice. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes. Generously flour your worksurface. As you roll out the dough, start from the middle and roll to the edge, lifting the pin just before you get to the edge. Turn the dough a quarter rotation between each roll to keep an even circle and prevent the dough from sticking. Add additional flour to the worksurface as needed. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness.9. To make the lattice, cut the dough into even strips. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Starting from the middle of the circle and working toward the edges, remove every other strip of dough and place it vertically on the parchment paper leaving a small space between each strip. Once you’ve filled the vertical space, lift every other strip of dough on the parchment paper up to the middle. Place the longest remaining strip of dough in the center horizontally. Fold down the lifted piece of dough and fold up the opposite pieces, place the next piece of dough and repeat until you’ve completed the bottom of the circle. Rotate the pan and repeat the weaving process until you’ve used up all the dough strips. Place the Lattice crust in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. 10. For the bottom crust, repeat the rolling out process—remember to allow your dough to warm at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes before rolling. Once you’ve reached 1/4-inch thickness, gently fold the dough from the bottom up and right to left. Carefully, lift the crust into the ungreased pie tin, placing the point in the middle of the tin, and carefully unfold the dough. Gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan. (Do not stretch the dough. You just want to ensure the dough is fitted into the entire pan.) Leave the edges of the dough untrimmed.11. Add the filling. Remove the lattice from the freezer and carefully lift it from the pan onto the pie, or with help, slide the lattice onto the top of the pie. 12. Trim the lattice as needed so that it sits to the edge of the tin. Then, trim the bottom crust leaving 1 inch of a border. Roll the bottom crust inward to create a rope at the top of the tin. Using your thumb and index finger of one hand and thumb of the other, make a crimp around the top of the pie. 13. Place the pie on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes or until you’re ready to bake. 14. When you’re ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 15. Make an egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk. Remove the pie from the freezer and brush the top and sides with the egg wash.16. Bake the pie at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. 17. Allow the pie to cool at room temperature for 3 hours or more for best results when slicing.
Filling5 cups juneberries (fresh or frozen)3/4 cup granulated sugar1 lemon, zested and juiced1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 teaspoon cinnamon
Egg wash1 large egg1 tablespoon water
Instructions:1. To make the crust, mix together the flours, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.2. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and coconut oil until fine crumbs form. 3. Add 1/2 cup ice water to the mixture. Stir to combine. If the mixture is too dry to form a dough when pressed together, add an additional tablespoon or two of ice water, one at a time, to form a loose dough.4. Turn the dough mixture out onto a clean, un-floured worksurface. Knead until a dough forms. Divide the dough in two. Form each half of the dough into a round, flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 5. While the dough is chilling, make the filling by combining the juneberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, flour, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine.6. Cook the mixture over medium heat on the stovetop until the mixture boils—stir frequently until the berries release their juices so that the sugar doesn’t burn. Boil for 5 minutes or until the filling is thick and glossy. 7. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and cool at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the pie. 8. To prepare the double crust for the pie, work with one disc of dough at a time starting with the lattice. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes. Generously flour your worksurface. As you roll out the dough, start from the middle and roll to the edge, lifting the pin just before you get to the edge. Turn the dough a quarter rotation between each roll to keep an even circle and prevent the dough from sticking. Add additional flour to the worksurface as needed. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness.9. To make the lattice, cut the dough into even strips. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Starting from the middle of the circle and working toward the edges, remove every other strip of dough and place it vertically on the parchment paper leaving a small space between each strip. Once you’ve filled the vertical space, lift every other strip of dough on the parchment paper up to the middle. Place the longest remaining strip of dough in the center horizontally. Fold down the lifted piece of dough and fold up the opposite pieces, place the next piece of dough and repeat until you’ve completed the bottom of the circle. Rotate the pan and repeat the weaving process until you’ve used up all the dough strips. Place the Lattice crust in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. 10. For the bottom crust, repeat the rolling out process—remember to allow your dough to warm at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes before rolling. Once you’ve reached 1/4-inch thickness, gently fold the dough from the bottom up and right to left. Carefully, lift the crust into the ungreased pie tin, placing the point in the middle of the tin, and carefully unfold the dough. Gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan. (Do not stretch the dough. You just want to ensure the dough is fitted into the entire pan.) Leave the edges of the dough untrimmed.11. Add the filling. Remove the lattice from the freezer and carefully lift it from the pan onto the pie, or with help, slide the lattice onto the top of the pie. 12. Trim the lattice as needed so that it sits to the edge of the tin. Then, trim the bottom crust leaving 1 inch of a border. Roll the bottom crust inward to create a rope at the top of the tin. Using your thumb and index finger of one hand and thumb of the other, make a crimp around the top of the pie. 13. Place the pie on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes or until you’re ready to bake. 14. When you’re ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 15. Make an egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk. Remove the pie from the freezer and brush the top and sides with the egg wash.16. Bake the pie at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. 17. Allow the pie to cool at room temperature for 3 hours or more for best results when slicing.