Blackberry Pie for 2 (w/ Frozen Berries)

 

I have been looking for small pie pans that are about 6” in diameter for a while now. I finally found some although they are disposable foil ones to use for now. I found these on Temu, so they are very inexpensive also. Since I got them I have been on a trek of making pie, all the pies. So I decided I would share at least this one here with all of you. I love blackberry pie no matter what the time of year. By using frozen berries I can have it all winter long.

But before we get to the recipe I thought I would talk about why I have been searching for this size pie plate. For small batch baking the 6” pie is perfect for one or two people. You get 4 slices of pie from the finished pie so you feel like the work making the pie was worth the effort. But at the same time you don’t feel like you have the pie that never gets finished. I have some smaller, 4” pie pans and I find that to be an awkward size for most pies. For me its just a bit too big for one serving but not really satisfying when cut in half. I have several 8” and 9” pie pans from back when I was cooking for a large family and on the rare occasions I make a pie in either of those sizes as much as l love pie its just too much to get eaten in a timely manner. So the 6” pie pan hunt began.

The set of these I got from Temu had 20 foil pans for around $5.50, so a good price and I have found I can wash them out at least a couple of times and re-use them so they don’t get sent to the landfill quite so fast as they otherwise would. Since they are designed to be disposable they are very thin and floppy. I find if I double them up and use two at a time they work much better. They don’t bend too much while I am filling them and the pie bakes much more evenly. Since I am using them multiple times this isn’t as wasteful as it would be if I was tossing them after a single use.

To begin with you will need some pie crust, I’m not including that recipe today but if there is interest I would be happy to pop my recipe up in the future. Just let me know. To make a 6” two-crust pie you will need the amount of dough that would normally make a 9” single crust pie. So half a normal 9” pie crust recipe or a single sheet out of a box of refrigerated pie crust. You will most likely have some left over but that is much better than running short and having to make your crust too thin.

For the filling I adapted the berry pie recipe my mom taught me many years ago. I love this one because it goes to together really fast. Growing up on the farm we always had tons of blackberries fresh in season and then in the freezer all the rest of the year since we had several big berry bushes around.

The filling recipe only takes 4 main ingredients: sugar, flour, cinnamon, and the frozen berries. Then a bit of butter just before the top crust goes on. It is important to start while the berries are frozen to avoid them turning into a mush as you try to mix the filling. Also be sure to check the ingredients list if you purchased the berries. If they have sugar added cut the sugar called for in the recipe in half.

To create the filling gently combine the filling ingredients in a bowl coating the berries. Then allow the berries to thaw at room temperature giving the mixture a couple of gentle stirs as the berries thaw. Be careful to not break up the berries as you stir.

Once the berries are thawed most of the way line the bottom of the 6” pie pan with a layer of crust, add the filling then add a bit of butter cut into small pieces then cover with the top crust.

Bake the pie, it is best served slightly warm.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Blackberry Pie for 2

(w/ Frozen Berries)

pie crust of your choice, either enough for a single 9” pie or a recipe for a 6” 2-crust pie

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

small pinch of cinnamon

1 ½ cups frozen blackberries (un-sweetened see note below)**

½ Tablespoon butter cut in small pieces

 

Combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the frozen blackberries and gently stir to combine. Allow the berries to thaw at room temperature. Gently stir the mixture a couple of times while the berries are thawing. 

 

 

Be very gentle so you don’t break up the berries.

Once the berries are thawed pre-heat the oven to 425°F.

 

 

 

 

 

Roll half the crust out and use it to line a 6” pie pan.

 

 

 

 

Add the berry mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dot with the butter.

 

 

 

Add the top crust crimping around the edge.

Trim even with edge of pan.

Cut a couple of slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape while baking.

Place pie pan on a foil covered sheet pan (in case of drips)

Bake in 425°F oven 35 to 45 minutes. You will know it is baked when the crust has developed a nice light brown color and the juices are bubbling through the slits in the top crust.

 

 

Allow pie to cool before cutting.

Yield: I- 6” pie, 4 slices.

** note if your blackberries are sweetened only use half the amount of sugar called for in the filling.