Fresh Strawberry Pie and Whipped Cream
May. School was finally out! I woke up early to the fresh summer breeze rustling through my curtains as the sun tried to peek through. Birds sang in the woods nearby. Summer was not a time for sleeping in. I went outside for my morning chores, feeding the dog, chickens, and pony. On my way back inside to enjoy my breakfast on the back porch, I made sure to peek in the strawberry beds. The blossoms were gradually forming into berries–it wouldn’t be long until Fresh Strawberry Pie from scratch would baking in the kitchen!
By the end of May, the first ripe strawberry would appear. Of course Lauren and I would argue over who got the first one…or we’d have to cut it in half. But as we got into June, berries were in full swing and we couldn’t seem to keep up with them! My mom bustled around the kitchen making jam, muffins, mascarpone pie, and strawberry rhubarb coffeecake. We’d pile them on pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or just eat them straight out of the patch. But you couldn’t call it June in our house without a fresh strawberry pie!
Note: this pie is best enjoyed on the back porch during thunderstorms on a cool summer night.
Grandma’s Famous Pie Crust
An essential part of Fresh Strawberry Pie using a pie crust from scratch. Over the past few months I’ve finally perfected my technique! The first pies I made were with my grandma–she’s literally a pie queen! She never measures a thing and they ALWAYS turn out perfectly. When I started making pies on my own, I tried to do it by guess and they never turned out quite right. Thankfully, I was able to figure out the perfect ratio and now I get consistently delicious results. I’m starting to reach the point of being able to guess a little bit, but I’m still going to need some more practice!
To make the crust, all you need is flour, cold butter, salt, and ice cold water. (Actually she uses shortening, but I am quite opposed to the use of industrial fats and use butter instead. Otherwise it’s all the same!) Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Then, use a cheese grater to grate the butter into the bowl. Use your hands to mix it in and break it up further. When all the butter is spread throughout in pea-sized pieces, add the water one tablespoon at a time until it all comes together.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth. Roll it out in a circle until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the crust to a 9 inch pie plate and press it into the bottom. Cut off any excess crust hanging over the side of the plate before crimping the edges with your fingers.
Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork several times and place pie weights in the plate. If you don’t have pie weights, take a piece of aluminum foil and press it into the pan. Fill the pie plate with dry beans, rice, or sugar instead. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust begins to brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
How to Make a Fresh Strawberry Pie Filling
Take half of the strawberries and cut off the stems. Then arrange the whole berries on the baked piecrust, hull side down. In a saucepan, mix the rest of the strawberries (sliced), honey, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook on medium/low until combined and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes before pouring over the strawberries and pie crust. Chill before serving with homemade whipped cream.
How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream
After you make homemade whipped cream once, you’ll never go back to the canned stuff! When made from scratch, whipped cream is thick, fluffy, and substantial. Start by chilling your bowl and beaters for the best results. Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks begin into form. Slowly add the vanilla and sugar and continue whipping until it reaches desired consistency. Scoop a generous dollop on a slice of pie and enjoy!
If you want to avoid refined sugar, use a bit of maple syrup instead of powdered sugar. You may have to whip a little longer to get the same thick consistency.
As always, I must emphasize the importance of using pure cream. Whipping cream should not have any added ingredients like polysorbate 80, carrageenan, or mono and diglycerides. Just pure cream. You’d be surprised at what you find when you read the labels! Do yourself a favor and make yourself more aware of how you fuel your body.
I hope you enjoy this Fresh Strawberry Pie! Let me know what you think in the comments below. If you give it a try, take some photos and tag @roots_and_rosemary on Instagram!
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