Mini Blueberry Pies
Sweet and tart, these Mini Blueberry Pies deliver bold blueberry flavor with a hint of lemon. Their small size makes them so easy to serve and eat! Makes one dozen pies.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 small Meyer lemon zested
- 10 ounces frozen blueberries (about 2 ¼ cups)
- 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pastry Dough
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter sliced in pieces
- 3 tablespoons ice water strained
For Serving
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
- 1 Meyer Lemon cut in small wedges
- fresh thyme or mint sprigs
Instructions
Blueberry Filling
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Set aside
- In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar and lemon zest to combine. Add blueberries, lemon juice, and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to release their juices, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk the cornstarch mixture once more and add it to the berries, stirring to combine evenly. Increase heat to medium high, stirring gently until the mixture comes to boil. Off heat, stir in vanilla extract.
- Transfer the filling to bowl and let it cool at room temperature. If preparing in advance, once filling is cool to the touch, store it covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Pastry Dough
- For the crust, whirl flour, powdered sugar, and salt in food processor with the blade attachment. Add about half the butter and whirl until no chunks remain. Add remaining butter and whirl briefly until the butter is chopped into pea-sized pieces.
- Turn food processor on again and quickly begin drizzling ice water through the feed tube, stopping before the dough comes together. Pinch some crumbs between your fingers; if they don’t stick together, add a bit more water and whirl briefly.
- Turn the mixture out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to help you bring the dough together; fold the edges of the dough toward the center and press down until it holds together, taking care not to overwork the dough.
- Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap the plastic wrap tightly around it. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes before continuing.
Assembly and Baking
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- On a floured surface, roll the pastry dough a thickness between ⅛ and ¼ inches. Using a 3 ¾ to 4-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter, stamp out as many flowers as possible.
- Gently transfer the shapes to a standard-size muffin tin, tucking each flower carefully into one of the cups. If necessary, combine remaining dough scraps and re-roll to fill 12 muffin cups.
- Divide the filling between the prepared muffin cups.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350° F and continue baking until the crusts are pale golden and the filling begins to bubble around the edges, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cool the pies completely in the muffin pan.
For Serving
- To prepare the whipped cream, combine cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer or hand whisk, beat until soft peaks form.
- Remove blueberry pies from the muffin tin with a thin metal spatula. Top with whipped cream, fresh blueberries, lemon wedges, and herb sprigs, if desired.
- These pies taste best the day they're made as the crusts will lose their crispness over time.