How to make traditional Swedish blackberry pie
If you have lived in Sweden for a while, you may be aware that Swedes love berry picking. But if you don't want to wait for a Swede to whip up a blackberry pie ('björnbärspaj') for you, food writer John Duxbury shares his recipe with The Local.
The pastry uses melted butter which gives it a really luxurious taste, almost like Scottish shortbread, and yet it is so easy to make and doesn't even need to be blind baked. The almonds bring out the flavour of the blackberries, but only need to be sprinkled on to the pastry. It really is easy-peasy!
Summary
Serves: 6-8
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Pastry
175g (6oz) butter
180g (1 ¼ cup) plain flour
100g (½ cup) caster sugar
½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
Filling
50g (2 oz) ground almonds
450g (1 lb) blackberries
90g (½ cup) caster sugar
1 tbsp potato flour on corn flour
Glaze
3 tbsp red currant jelly (or any other seedless red jam)
Method
1. Melt the butter for the pastry. Leave for a few minutes to cool.
2. Lightly grease a 23cm (9in) pie dish.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200C (400F, Gas 6, Fan 180C).
4. Mix the plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt. Gradually beat in the melted butter until you have an evenly coloured pastry dough.
5. Line the pie dish with the pastry. Just gradually push it out with your fingers as it is too buttery to roll out.
6. Spread the ground almonds over the pastry.
7. Mix the blackberries, caster sugar and potato/corn flour in a bowl and then spoon over the top of the ground almonds.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to cool for ten minutes or so.
9. Make a glaze by heating the red currant jelly in a saucepan and simmering for two minutes. Glaze the blackberries using a pastry brush.
10. Serve with vanilla sauce or extra cooked blackberries (see below).
11. Put 50g (2 oz) sugar, a star anise and the zest of half a lemon in a saucepan with 100ml (½ cup) water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes until slightly syrupy. Add 450g (1 lb) blackberries and stir. Leave to cool.
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The pastry uses melted butter which gives it a really luxurious taste, almost like Scottish shortbread, and yet it is so easy to make and doesn't even need to be blind baked. The almonds bring out the flavour of the blackberries, but only need to be sprinkled on to the pastry. It really is easy-peasy!
Summary
Serves: 6-8
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Pastry
175g (6oz) butter
180g (1 ¼ cup) plain flour
100g (½ cup) caster sugar
½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
Filling
50g (2 oz) ground almonds
450g (1 lb) blackberries
90g (½ cup) caster sugar
1 tbsp potato flour on corn flour
Glaze
3 tbsp red currant jelly (or any other seedless red jam)
Method
1. Melt the butter for the pastry. Leave for a few minutes to cool.
2. Lightly grease a 23cm (9in) pie dish.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200C (400F, Gas 6, Fan 180C).
4. Mix the plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt. Gradually beat in the melted butter until you have an evenly coloured pastry dough.
5. Line the pie dish with the pastry. Just gradually push it out with your fingers as it is too buttery to roll out.
6. Spread the ground almonds over the pastry.
7. Mix the blackberries, caster sugar and potato/corn flour in a bowl and then spoon over the top of the ground almonds.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to cool for ten minutes or so.
9. Make a glaze by heating the red currant jelly in a saucepan and simmering for two minutes. Glaze the blackberries using a pastry brush.
10. Serve with vanilla sauce or extra cooked blackberries (see below).
11. Put 50g (2 oz) sugar, a star anise and the zest of half a lemon in a saucepan with 100ml (½ cup) water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes until slightly syrupy. Add 450g (1 lb) blackberries and stir. Leave to cool.
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