I was probably eight or nine years old when I came across this berry crumb pie recipe.
I have no recollection of where the recipe came from, but I remember being thrilled to try it for the first time. I had attempted baking in the past—a particular strawberry cake going straight in the trash after I used one cup of baking powder instead of one tablespoon stands out in great detail. But this one was going to be different, I could feel it. And I got to use the food processor, which for some reason was exciting for me.
To be quite honest, I have no idea how the original recipe, printed on loose leaf paper and three-hole-punched has survived the 20 years and various moves it has gone through. It’s still in decent shape too, marked up with pink pen and appropirately stained and torn to represent it’s true age.
As a kid, I used to make this pie so often that it became the staple family dessert, baked for birthdays and parties and taken over to guests’ houses. But of course, life happens, and it’s been quite some a few years since I made my favorite dessert.
A couple weeks ago, my Russian honey cake recipe was chosen as a Community Pick on Food52. It was a competition sponsored by California Walnuts, and they were kind enough to send all those chosen a big lovely bag of their loot (and that beautiful walnut wood mortar and pestle). I immediately knew what I was going to do with it.
In addition to the recent acquisition of the walnuts, berries have been tasting so delicious recently, I’ve been buying enough to fill our entire fridge. It was like the berry crumb pie just had to be made.
Ahh the memories. First came the snacking on the crumbs from the crust (tradition), then the familiar smell wafting out of the oven as the berries bubbled and oozed slightly out of the edges. The hardest part was waiting the required ten minutes before slicing into the pie and feeling like a kid again, which I did by occupying my time washing dishes (not a tradition).
Yes, berry crumb pie, you are still my absolute favorite.
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons corn starch
- 1 pint raspberries
- 1 pint bluberries
- 1 pint blackberries
- Preheat oven to 450.
- Using a food processor, pulse walnuts until they are coarsley ground. Add flour and sugar and pulse until well mixed. Add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Divide dough into two bowls, one containing ⅓ and the other ⅔ of mixture.
- Using your fingers, press ⅔ of the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. You should go about 1½ inches up the sides.
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar and corn starch. Add berries and mix until they are well coated. Spoon berries into springform pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ of your crumb crust on top of the berries making sure they are well covered. Gently press to form an even top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Use a knife to cut around the edges of the springform before removing it. Serve warm or cold.
gorgeous pie.love the walnut crust!
writes huntfortheverybestThanks so much!
writes VickyI made this over the weekend for a BBQ and it was an absolute hit! So simple, but so elegant and the berries just really shine through. I paired it with David Lebovitz Cinnamon ice cream. I’ll definitely be doing this duo again!
writes KristinKristin – love the idea of serving it with cinnamon ice cream. I’ll be trying that next time!
writes Vicky[…] Childhood Berry Crumb Pie – There is just nothing better than a dessert stuffed with three pints of berries. And of […]
writes Two Year Blog Anniversary and Jason's Best Of Choices - Things I Made Today[…] Childhood Berry Crumb Pie – Even though this recipe is far older than just one year, I have to pay it homage as it […]
writes Two Year Blog Anniversary and My Best Of Choices - Things I Made Today