DARK PURPLE
MAKES 1 DISK OF PIE DOUGH, TO MAKE A SINGLE-CRUST PIE
In this recipe, the blueberry powder is not optional, as the juice alone does not tint the dough a dark enough shade to hold through baking.
1¼ cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons (30 grams) blueberry powder
½ cup (1 stick/113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup (118 milliliters) cold pure blueberry juice
Every attempt at producing blueberry juice on my own has resulted in a sludgy mix that oxidized and turned brown almost immediately. Instead, I rely on Bow Hill Blueberries or Lakewood Organic for their cold-pressed 100 percent blueberry juices. Anything with added ingredients and sugar won’t produce the same results.
MANUAL METHOD
1. Keep the blueberry juice in the refrigerator until step 5.
2. Put the flour, sugar, salt, and blueberry powder in a large bowl and stir with a spatula to combine.
3. Sprinkle in the butter cubes and toss until each cube is coated in the flour mixture.
4. Flatten each cube of butter with your pointer fingers and thumbs. Toss again to coat the flattened butter pieces. Continue massaging the butter into the flour until the remaining shards resemble cornflakes in a range of sizes.
5. Remove the blueberry juice from the refrigerator. Add 2 tablespoons of the juice and fluff the moisture through the flour with a spatula. Continue adding juice 1 tablespoon at a time, pressing the dough with a spatula after each addition until it begins to come together. Avoid any heavy kneading, as overworking the dough will lead to a tough crust.
6. If the dough still has quite a bit of dry mix and doesn’t hold together when a handful is squeezed, add a little more juice. Be careful not to add too much liquid (usually 3 to 5 tablespoons total are sufficient). The dough should be smooth and supple. If the dough is quite tacky, you’ve likely added too much liquid. Try gently incorporating a little more flour. If it is still very sticky, I suggest starting over with a new batch of ingredients. Overly hydrated dough will be difficult to roll out and utilize in these designs, and the crust will likely be tough when baked. Pie fries or pie cookies may be a suitable option for keeping the handling to a minimum and avoiding outright waste of the dough.
7. When the dough begins to hold together, turn it out onto your work surface and gently form it into a rounded mound with your hands. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic, then gently press it into a round, flat disk, about 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch in thickness. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before rolling. Resting the dough in the fridge allows the gluten to relax and the dough to fully hydrate, and prevents shrinkage during baking. If you plan to freeze the pie dough, do so only after the rest period of at least 3 hours in the fridge.
8. Use the dough in the recipe of your choice.
FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD
1. Keep the blueberry juice in the refrigerator until step 4.
2. Put the flour, sugar, salt, and blueberry powder in a food processor and pulse several times to incorporate. Sprinkle the butter cubes evenly over the surface of the dry mixture and pulse quickly 20 to 25 times to break up the cubes into smaller jaggedy pieces.
3. Turn the mixture out into a large mixing bowl. Sift through with a spatula for unprocessed butter cubes and flatten any pieces larger than a pecan half with your pointer finger and thumb.
4. Remove the blueberry juice from the refrigerator. Add 2 tablespoons of the juice and stir through with a spatula. Continue adding juice 1 tablespoon at a time, pressing the dough with your hands or a spatula after each addition until it begins to come together. Avoid any heavy kneading, as overworking the dough will lead to a tough crust.
5. If the dough still has quite a bit of dry mix and doesn’t hold together when a handful is squeezed, add a little more juice. Be careful not to add too much liquid (usually 3 to 5 tablespoons total are sufficient). The dough should be smooth and supple. If the dough is quite tacky, you’ve likely added too much liquid. Try gently incorporating a little more flour. If it is still very sticky, I suggest starting over with a new batch of ingredients. Overly hydrated dough will be difficult to roll out and utilize in these designs, and the crust will likely be tough when baked. Pie fries or pie cookies may be a suitable option for keeping the handling to a minimum and avoiding outright waste of the dough.
6. When the dough begins to hold together, turn it out onto your work surface and gently form it into a mound with your hands. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic, then gently press it into a round, flat disk, about 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch in thickness. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before rolling. Resting the dough in the fridge allows the gluten to relax and the dough to fully hydrate, and prevents shrinkage during baking. If you plan to freeze the pie dough, do so only after the rest period of at least 3 hours in the fridge.
7. Use the dough in the recipe of your choice.