Friday, April 26, 2013

Strawberry Crumble Pie

When the going gets tough, the tough make pie...



And drink bucketloads of wine with their girlfriends...







These past weeks have been rough ones at work. Failed experiments, upset patients, and bureaucratic red tape. Oh, and it snowed some more-- that didn't help.

All of these can be fixed with a good glass of moscato, a summery strawberry pie, and a good whinefest with the girls.





HyVee had a ridiculous sale on strawberries ($2.99 for a 2-lb container!), so I stocked up. One box for eating, one box for pie, and one box for sorbet (coming soon!). I was so excited at the site of these ruby red gems that I couldn't decide whether to make a crumble or a pie for our girls' dinner night, so I smashed them together into one sweet, bright dessert.



It all comes together so simply. Three elements which I've made time and again, and know to be trusted, tried, and true, regardless of how poorly my projects at work turn out.

A press-in pie crust meets macerated strawberries meets warm cinnamon-scented streusel topping. Easy said, easy done.


Take a moment. Breathe. It's as easy as pie.



(Thanks to my good friend Nicole for nabbing my camera during our meal and snapping the wine pictures!)

Strawberry Crumble Pie

Crust adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook; filling and topping from my crazybrain

For the crust:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable shortening
3 tbsp almond milk
1/4 cup plus two tablespoons vegetable oil

For the filling:

3 cups strawberries, sliced
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour

For the crumb topping:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used a mixed of walnuts and pecans)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a springform pan with baking spray; set aside.

Combine all dry crust ingredients in a bowl; transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add in butter and shortening and mix until crumbly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and milk; add in to butter mixture, and mix until dough is combined. Press dough into pan. Top with a piece of aluminum foil, add beans (to hold it down), and bake for ten minutes; remove beans and foil, and bake an additional five minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar and flour; set aside for fifteen minutes to allow strawberries to amcerate.

For the crumb topping, combine all dry ingredients. Using your fingers, fold in and pinch in butter until crumbly and combined.

Pour filling into pie shell and sprinkle with topping. Bake another ten minutes, until topping is golden. Remove, allow to cool, remove from springform pan, and serve to your best girls with frozen yogurt.


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