Blueberry Pie

This is my first attempt and I must say it was a hit! 

Ingredients
Dough
3 cups flour
2 tablespoon sugar
¾ cup butter (softened)
5 tablespoons shortening
8-10 tablespoons water

Filling
6 c blueberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ lemon: zest and juice (3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar to sprinkle

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, butter and shortening to obtain something like a coarse cornmeal.
2. Sprinkle the water, one tablespoon at a time and mix just enough for the mixture to hold together and turn into a smooth dough. Add more water if needed.
3. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
4. Combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice and zest in a bowl.
5. Let it sit for ½ hour.
6. Preheat the oven at 500 degF
7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
8. Sprinkle work surface with flour. Roll out one piece of the dough into a 9 inch circle using a rolling pin and sprinkling with flour. Roll the dough over the rolling pin, and unroll it onto the pie pan. Press gently.
9. Roll out the second piece of dough into a rectangle and cut into 8 strips.
10. Spread the blueberry filling on the pie crust.






11. Place the strips to form a lattice as shown in the picture. Press the strips against the crust and tuck them in. Cut any excess dough.





12. Sprinkle with sugar.



13. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes at 425, then lower temperature to 375 and bake another 25 minutes. It should be bubbling that's why it is recommended to place it on a baking sheet. I didn't follow the advice so the bottom of my oven was splashed a little bit.


14. The crust should be dark brown


15. Let it cool until barely warm. Cut yourself a slice and enjoy!

Strawberry Sorbet

Yet another sorbet. It was so hot when I served the sorbet to take the picture. By the time the camera was ready, it was already melting! 

Ingredients
2 lbs strawberries
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 lemon juice

Directions

1. Stir sugar and water together over medium heat in a large saucepan until sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the strawberries and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.





3. Allow to cool a little bit then blend until the mixture is smooth.





4. Add lemon juice and stir.
5. Refrigerate mixture until cold.
6. Freeze in ice cream maker for 25-30 minutes or per machine directions.
7. Enjoy!

Notes:

1. The quantities used yield 6 cups of strawberry mixture, so if your ice cream maker, like mine, can only hold 4 cups then you need to make 2 passes.
2. If you don't have an ice cream maker, put the mixture in the freezer and mix every hour or so until frozen.

Peach Sorbet

The last thing you want to do when it’s hot and sticky is to turn your oven on. A sorbet is the only thing I can think about and it is so refreshing. It is quick and so easy to make. It took me at most 10 minutes to make.

The proportions I gave are based on my taste, but you can adapt them to yours by putting more or less sugar ( is you are calorie conscious), or putting more or less lemon juice. Taste and adjust.

I usually prefer using fresh fruits, but good peaches are not in-season yet in my area. If you are using fresh fruits, make a syrup and cook them 5 minutes peeled and sliced. Cool before blending.

Ingredients

1 28 fl oz can peaches with syrup (roughly 4-5 peaches)

½ c sugar

1 lemon juice

Directions

Blend everything together into a smooth puree with a hand mixer or a food processor.

Freeze in the ice maker for 25-30 minutes.