Mom's Best Gluten Free Blueberry Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best thickener for blueberry pie? ›

We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies. Arrowroot, unlike cornstarch, is not broken down by the acid in the fruit you are using so it is a good choice for fruit with a higher content of acidity such as strawberries or blackberries.

Too much water makes pie crusts tough, ESPECIALLY gluten-free crusts. An extra tablespoon or two can make your crust rock hard. Try to use the least amount of water listed.

Another reason why blueberry pie might be runny is that it just didn't bake long enough. The filling should be bubbling so that the cornstarch has a chance to gel with all of the juices from the berries.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 5-10 minutes until the mixture is thick enough to mound slightly _ until it looks more like pudding than sauce. If it is not cooked sufficiently at this stage, it will be runny even after it is chilled. If you're not sure, cook it more, not less.

Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish. You'll need to use twice as much as you would with cornstarch.

I do not usually par-bake my fruit pie crusts - this is because with a fresh fruit filling (or even with a cooked fruit filling such as my apple pie or my blueberry crostata), the pie has long enough in the oven that it gives the crust enough time to crisp up properly, removing the need for blind baking.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

You also want to make sure this flour blend has xantham gum. Xantham gum is what helps hold the flour and pie ingredients together, and mimics what gluten does. Gluten is like glue, and is why doughs stay together. Without xantham gum, it will be crumbly and fall apart.

Lighten up your batters

So, you'll need to add a little more air into your batters while you're mixing. Sift your gluten-free flour blends before adding them to recipes to lighten them up and work in air (this is especially important for almond flour, since it tends to clump).

Xanthan gum.

This acts as a binder (essentially a gluten replacement) and prevents the pie crust from being too crumbly and from tearing or cracking when you roll it out and use it to assemble the pie crust. It allows you to easily crimp the edges, create a lattice or anything else you might want to achieve.

A fruit pie is ready to be pulled from the oven when its juices are bubbling in the center of the pie, not just the sides!

Should a blueberry pie be refrigerated after baking? ›

Fruit pies keep at room temperature for two days; you can store them, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days longer. (In warm climates, always store fruit pies in the refrigerator.)

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pies containing perishable ingredients such as eggs or dairy must be refrigerated once cool. Fruit pies, however, are food-safe at room temperature for up to two days because they contain plenty of sugar and acid, which slow the growth of bacteria.

Tapioca as Pie Filling Thickener

Tapioca is derived from cassava (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy root native to South America. Tapioca comes in several different forms, but the one you want for pie-making is instant (otherwise known as quick-cooking) tapioca.

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature that your recipe recommends. Most fruit pies bake at a temperature between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Some recipes call for baking the pie in a 450 degree F oven to begin with, then turning down the oven to about 350 degrees F.

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste.

Tapioca-it's not just for pudding! This old-school ingredient may be what your great grandmother used to thicken her pies, and it's still great for making a perfect fruit pie with a clear, stable filling. Tapioca is derived from cassava (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy root native to South America.

Uses: Tapioca “is flavorless and gives fruit and fruit juices a glossy shine,” Chattman says, making it a favorite alternative to cornstarch in pies. Or get the best of both worlds: “Juices thickened with both cornstarch and tapioca become satiny and smooth, an appealing combination,” she says.

How to Make Perfect Berry Pie: Cook berries: Simmer berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium heat until warm and juicy, about 5-10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Thicken filling: Spoon out about ½ cup of the juice from the pan into a bowl. Stir cornstarch into the juice until smooth.

The three most common starches used to thicken the fruit juices of a pie are flour, tapioca, and cornstarch. I prefer cornstarch because I find that it actually enhances the flavor of the fruit.