Fruit Pies and Crumbles

To use soft frozen fruit such as berries and stone fruits (peaches, cherries) in pies, thaw the fruit first in a colander. Allow excess water to drain. Then measure the fruit as needed for the recipe and proceed.

Harder fruits such as rhubarb and pineapple can be used straight from the freezer.

After placing the top crust on a fruit pie, stick two or 3 pieces of macaroni vertically in the crust so that they stuck up like funnels, about an inch above the crust. This will keep juicy fruit pies from running over from the edges of the pan.

Cherry Pie

Use tart or sour cherries for pie-making.

• 2-1/2 cups washed and pitted sour cherries
• 1/3 cup cherry juice
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs. minute tapioca
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• pastry for double-crust pie

1. In a bowl, combine cherries, juice, brown sugar, white sugar, almond extract and tapioca. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
2. Pour into unbaked pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter.
3. Place lattice pastry strips or top crust over pie. Seal edges and prick top crust with a fork.
4. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes more.
6. Remove pie from oven and cool on a rack.

Farmers' Market Fruit Crumble Pie

This pie serves 6-8 people. It requires a total 4 cups (1L) fresh peeled, cored, sliced fruit. You can substitute and use what you have. Cut a 10" round of aluminum foil to shield pie while baking. This recipe, "Farmers' Market Crumble Pie" was clipped from autumn 2020 Food & Drink Magazine compliments of LCBO. It's heavy on the crumble topping and after making it I noted that I would try making only half the crumble topping next time. I didn't have pears or plums so substituted apples. I used chopped walnuts instead of pistachios and I think pecans would work well too. I didn't make the whipped topping and it was good without it.

• 3 ripe medium pears
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
• 1/2 lb (225 g) plums
• 1/3 cup cranberries
• 1 tsp vanilla

Crumble:

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) large-flake oatmeal
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) pistachio nuts OR shredded coconut
• finely grated peel of 1/2 medium orange (optional)
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom OR ginger
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) cold butter, cut in pieces
• pastry to line 1 9-inch pie plate 
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) white granulated sugar

Topping:

• 1/2 cup 35% M.F. whipping cream
• 1/4 cup full-fat plain or vanilla yogurt
• 2 Tbsp granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Peel and core pears, slice into 1/2 inch wedges.
3. Place pears in large bowl with lemon juice.
4. Pit plums and cut into 1/2 inch wedges. Stir into pears.
5. Add cranberries and vanilla.
6. In another large bowl, stir oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, nuts or coconut, peel, cinnamon, salt, cardamom or ginger. 
7. With clean fingers, rub in butter until small and larger crumbs form.
8. Line pie plate with pastry.
9. In small bowl, stir cornstarch and sugar.
10. Add to fruit, toss well.
11. Turn fruit into pie shell.
12. By hand, sprinkle clumps of oatmeal mixture over fruit.
13. Bake on bottom rack of preheated 425 degree F oven 20 minutes.
14. Reduce heat to 350 degree F.
15. Place aluminum foil round over pie so crumble doesn't overbrown.
16. Bake 35 to 40 more minutes. Fruit should be soft and crumble golden brown.
17. Cool at least 1 hour before serving.
18. To make topping, beat whipping cream with yogurt until soft peaks form. Then beat in sugar and vanilla, serve with pie.
19. Refrigerate leftovers.

Single Crust Strawberry Pie

• 6 cups fresh strawberries, divided
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 to 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 9" pastry shell
• whipped cream

1. Prepare pastry for single crust pie and bake.
2. Crush 1 cup strawberries and put in small saucepan with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, simmer 2 minutes.
3. Sieve berry mixture back into saucepan and mix in cornstarch and sugar. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thick.
4. Spread 1/4 cup of berry mixture over bottom and sides of pie shell.
5. Mix remaining 5 cups of strawberries (either whole or sliced) with remaining glaze and pour into baked pie shell.
6. Put pie in the fridge for 3-4 hours. Top chilled pie with whipped cream to serve.