Blueberry Strawberry Apricot Summer Pie

Ingredients

• 300 g all-purpose flour — measured by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling off, not scooping; scooping packs in excess flour and produces a tough, dense crust
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 225 g unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small cubes — the butter must be cold enough that it stays in distinct pieces when worked into the flour; this is what creates the steam pockets that produce flaky layers during baking. Chill the cubed butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before using.
• 80 ml ice water — fill a glass with water and add ice cubes; use the water, not the ice. Add it one tablespoon at a time.
• 200 g fresh blueberries — rinsed and picked over; discard any that are soft or shriveled
• 200 g fresh strawberries — hulled and quartered; if very large, cut into sixths so the pieces are roughly the same size as the blueberries
• 200 g fresh apricots — pitted and sliced into 1 cm wedges; if apricots are not ripe and flavorful on their own, substitute with peaches or nectarines
• 100 g raspberries or blackberries
• 150 g granulated sugar, divided
• 3 tbsp cornstarch — the thickener that turns the berry juices into a set, sliceable filling; do not reduce this amount
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest — zest the lemon before juicing; it's impossible to zest a squeezed lemon
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp whole milk
• 1 tbsp turbinado sugar — its larger crystals don't melt fully in the oven, leaving a crunchy, sparkling top crust; regular granulated sugar will dissolve and won't give the same effect

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar until combined. Add the cold cubed butter all at once. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour by pressing and smearing it until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces still visible — those visible chunks are what create flaky layers. If the butter starts to feel warm or greasy, refrigerate the bowl for 10 minutes before continuing.

2. 2

   Drizzle in the ice water one tablespoon at a time, tossing gently with a fork after each addition rather than stirring or kneading. Stop the moment the dough just holds together when you pinch a small amount between your fingers — it should not be wet or sticky. Overworking develops gluten and produces a tough crust. Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. 3

   Place the quartered strawberries and sliced apricots in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of the measured sugar and all of the lemon juice. Toss gently and let macerate for 20 minutes — the sugar draws excess liquid out of the fruit, which you will discard. This is the key step that prevents a soggy bottom crust. After 20 minutes, tip the bowl and drain off and discard all the collected juice.

4. 4

   In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, the remaining sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, for 3 to 4 minutes until the blueberries begin to burst and release their juice and the mixture thickens and turns glossy and jammy.

5. 5

   Remove the saucepan from heat. Gently fold in the drained strawberries, apricots, raspberries, lemon zest, and the tablespoon of butter. Stir slowly until the butter fully melts into the warm filling. Let the filling cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before assembling — pouring hot filling onto raw dough begins to melt the butter in the crust before it reaches the oven.

6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly flour a clean work surface and your rolling pin. Remove one disc of dough from the fridge and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes — dough that is too cold will crack when rolled. Roll from the center outward in all directions, rotating the dough a quarter turn after every few passes, until you have a circle roughly 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick.

7. 7

   Roll the dough loosely around the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate, centering it carefully. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the plate without stretching it — stretched dough shrinks back during baking. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch beyond the rim with kitchen scissors.

8. 8

   Pour the cooled filling into the crust and spread evenly with a spatula. Dot the top of the filling with the tablespoon of butter called for in the filling ingredients, distributed in small pieces.

9. 9

   Roll out the second disc of dough to the same 12-inch circle. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut it into strips approximately 1/2 inch wide. Lay half the strips across the filling in one direction, evenly spaced. Fold back every other strip halfway, lay one strip perpendicular across the unfolded strips, then unfold the folded strips back over it. Continue this over-under weaving pattern across the entire pie to create a lattice. Trim the strip ends to match the edge of the bottom crust, then fold the overhanging bottom crust up and over the strip ends and crimp firmly to seal using your fingers or a fork.

10. 10

    In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together to make the egg wash. Using the pastry brush, coat the entire lattice top and crimped edge evenly. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar generously over the lattice.

11. 11

    Place the pie on a rimmed sheet tray to catch any drips. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F without opening the door and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbling through the lattice openings. If the crust edges begin browning too fast, shield them with a folded strip of foil.

12. 12

    Transfer the finished pie to a wire rack and cool completely for a minimum of 4 hours before slicing. The cornstarch in the filling needs this full cooling time to set into a sliceable consistency — cutting too soon results in a runny filling that collapses out of the slice.

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