Blueberry Crumble Pie with Blanc de Bleu Sparkling Wine from Spain -- Liven up your life!

Blueberries have been amazingly popular in America and worldwide in recent years. This has pumped up sales of not only juices, jams and yogurts, but everything from bath/body wash and cosmetics to designer cocktails. Much of this limelight can be attributed to over-hyped and extrapolated health benefits, but regardless, it has led to energetic sales of thousands of different products.

Blueberries are native to North America and available almost year-round (including imported ones), but when out of season locally they can be pricey. Currently they are available from South America and from Canada and the Pacific Northwest, where the season is just ending. Frozen is another good option, at least for use in blended drinks and baking.

I like blueberries, but personally have never been that crazy about them. However, a good friend told me recently that he loves blueberry cobbler and French vanilla ice cream served with blueberry-infused Spanish sparkling wine. Yes, with sparkling wine… now THAT sounds good to me! So I wanted to bake a simple yet classic cobbler, crumble pie to host said infusion.

I like any dessert that is not too sweet. This is not the super-sweet cobbler or pie you can buy at the supermarket. It is delicious and goes great with Blanc de Bleu sparkling wine from Spain. This is a dessert for grown-up wine lovers, not children.  Let me know if you try it!  

Blueberry Cobbler/Crumble Pie

Recipe adapted and modified from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Baking, by Cathy Burgett, Elinor Klivans & Lou Seibert Pappas

Serves 8-10

You will need:  one 9 ½ inch pie pan, fluted tart pan, or baking dish

Ingredients:

1 recipe all-butter short-crust pastry (Pâte Brisée): See recipe below**

¾ cup, plus 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 stick (110 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups blueberries, about 12-15 ounces

Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of oven and preheat to 400F.

To roll dough:

Lightly flour the dough and place on cool counter top. Roll out gradually, periodically letting dough rest for a moment before continuing. This makes rolling easier and will keep dough from shrinking back during baking.

Roll dough to a thin round approximately 13 inches in diameter, then trim to make a 12-inch circle.

Lay dough loosely into a 9 ½ -inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, or a pie dish, letting it relax a bit.

Fold and overlap back inside to make a double thickness, then press firmly against the pan so the finished edge is slightly higher than the pan. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes before pre-baking.

Line chilled pie crust with a piece of aluminum foil. Fill with dried beans, uncooked rice or pie weights. Bake until the crust dries out, about 15 minutes; to check, lift an edge of the foil and carefully remove the weights and foil. Reduce the heat to 350F. Continue to bake until the crust is lightly browned on the edges and dry-looking on the bottom, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack.

Increase the heat to 375F.

In a large bowl, stir together the ¾ cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the salt and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Scatter the butter pieces on top and toss with a fork or your fingers to coat with flour mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work the ingredients together until mixture forms large coarse crumbs the size of large peas. Set the topping aside.

In another large bowl, combine the blueberries, the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of the flour. Stir gently to coat the blueberries evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and the granulated sugar over the bottom of the pre-baked crust.

Pour the filling into the crust, spreading it evenly.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the blueberry filling. Bake the pie until the topping is golden brown and blueberry filling just begins to bubble, about 40-45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. The pie/cobbler is best served the day it is baked.

Serve pie at room temperature with French vanilla ice cream and Blanc de Bleu sparkling wine!

**Pate Brisee vite faite (short crust pastry—quickly made)

For two 9 ½ to 11-inch tart crusts

Ingredients:

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, sifted

5 oz. (150 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

1 egg yolk 

¼ cup (4 fl oz.) cold water or lukewarm milk, more if necessary

In a large mixing bowl, mix well the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter using your fingers or a pastry blender, quickly cutting it into flour until mixture resembles small peas or coarse meal.

Add the egg yolk to the mixture, combine, and then the water or milk and knead the dough to form a flattened disk. Immediately roll out the dough and place onto a prepared tart or pie pan.
Or wrap with plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Bring to cool room temperature before rolling.