One of the great revelations of my recent trip to the US was the quality and variety of sweet pies – from California to Connecticut, every cafe and diner had at least two or three to choose from. The farther north I got, however, the greater the chance was that one of those would involve blueberries – a fruit that, in my opinion, is even nicer in a pastry case than fresh, particularly in the UK, unless you’re lucky enough to be eating them straight from the bush.
Sadly, this profusion of pie has not followed me back home, so I’ve been forced into making my own, quickly discovering that this juicy, delicately perfumed berry is harder to work with than American bakers let on. So just what is the secret to achieving that perfect crisp, buttery crust and flavourful fruit filling, without mail-ordering dessert from Maine?
