Since I’m a lover of all things pie, it would be wrong for me not to include a yummy pie in my roundup this year. And I know there are some of you out there who say, “Oh, I don’t like pies,” but which one are you thinking of when you say that? Apple? Pumpkin? Custard? Cream? Pecan? Lemon meringue? I mean seriously, people, you gotta love pies!
I wanted to share a pie with you that’s different. A pie that isn’t your typical pie. Something people who don’t typically run towards the pie section at the grocery store would enjoy. So I made a yummy graham cracker crust, then filled it with a mixture of berries and yuzu. I know, yuzu. I mean, who knew? The yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit, and the flavour is quite unique. It’s sort of like a cross between a grapefruit and a lemon. It’s lemony/citrusy, but without a lot of the tartness or acidity. It also reminds me a little bit of mandarin, but I have to say, I’m addicted!
Onto the pie. The filling is super easy to make, it just calls for a few ingredients. It’s a mixture of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, yuzu juice, sugar, cornstarch and a pinch of salt. I also added in some coconut milk to thicken it up a bit. I’m a little picky about my filling and it had to be just right, so it took a few tries, but in the end, I got it. When it came to the crust, I decided I wanted to try to make it a little healthier so I used half crushed grahams and half rolled oats. It was fun to play around with the proportions and make it just right.
Yuzu can be quite expensive, but I found a few places that had it for a reasonable price, so I bought some and gave it a try. Luckily, I found a couple other places that sold it for a pretty good price, so I bought a bunch and froze it. That way, I can use it for pies or other recipes throughout the year. And I will be using it. I’m 100% sure of it.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (100g) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (60g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup (60g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) yuzu juice
- 1/2 cup (120g) yuzu marmalade
- 2 tablespoons yuzu zest
- 1/2 cup (120g) fresh blueberries
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish.
- Combine egg, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour into the crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the center is set.
- Combine yuzu juice, yuzu marmalade, yuzu zest, and blueberries in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until blueberries are soft.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Pour blueberry mixture over the pie.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.