Mini Mixed Berry Pie

These cute mini Berry Pies have crisp and buttery top and bottom pastry crusts, with a filling full of lightly sweetened blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. This dessert is perfect during the Summer months. if using fresh berries, or if you use frozen berries can be made during the fall and winter.

The berries soften as they bake, becoming almost jam-like in texture and flavor. This pie is excellent served à la mode, that is, with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pie pastry recipe ( or 4 - 5 mini pie crusts )

• 5-6 cups assorted frozen berries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (I used cranberries too)

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 Tablespoons flour

• Milk to brush the top of the pie

• Coarse sugar to sprinkle on top of pastry (optional)

• 2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Make pastry from pastry recipe.  Let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse frozen berries (if ice has started to form around berries), drain. Add berries to a large bowl, mix sugar, flour and berries together. Set aside.

3. On a prepared work surface roll dough out into a circle larger than your pie dish (approx. 13 inches), and ¼ inch thick. Gently lay the dough into a 9 inch pie dish.

4. Trim the edges and reserve the dough to use for your lattice.

5. Prick the bottom of the pie several times with a fork.

6. With the extra pastry re-roll and cut into strips (you'll need 9 or 11 strips).

7. Fill the pie with the berry mixture and make your lattice on top. Trim the extra edges and press the pastry edges together.

8. Brush the top lattice with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Add butter dollops in the holes of the lattice.

9. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 450˚F.

10. Place the pie in the middle rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any pie drippings. Bake for 10 minutes at 450˚F. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue to bake for another 40-45 minutes until crust is brown and filling is bubbling (check your pie at 30 minutes).

11. Let pie cool for 10 -15 minutes before serving