05/20/2021
Finnish Blueberry Pie from Taryn Makinen, the May recipe in the 2021 Victoria & Circle Tour Art Calendar.
In a small bowl, dissolve 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) yeast with 1/4 c of warm water. Scald 3/4 c milk and cool to lukewarm. Place in a large bowl with 1/2 c sugar, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 c softened unsalted butter. Once yeast is dissolved, add to milk mixture. Add 1 large egg and 3 c of flour. Mix until shaggy dough forms, then knead until smooth and elastic, adding 1/2 c of flour if needed. Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rest in a warm place until doubled, 1 1/2 -2 hrs.
Place 4 c blueberries in a pot with 3/4 c sugar on low heat until they release some juice. (If using frozen berries, thaw and drain the juice but reserve it.) Mix 3 Tbsp cornstarch with 3 Tbsp of cold water or reserved juice to make a smooth slurry. While stirring, pour cornstarch mixture into blueberries. Cook until thick and boiling. Take off heat, stir in zest of 1/2 lemon and let cool.
Press dough into a parchment lined 8”x12” jelly roll pan. Spread cooled berry mixture
onto dough, leaving 1’’ space around the edge. Let rise for for 1-1 ½ hrs. Bake at 375°F for 20-25min until golden. Serve warm with ice cream or room temperature sprinkled with icing sugar and custard sauce. - Pastry Chef Taryn Makinen, Instagram, FB (info on lessons). "I grew up knowing this as “pie”, and that's what it's known as in Finland!”
