Description
Sweet summer memories dance through Grandma’s classic strawberry rhubarb pie, blending tart rhubarb with luscious strawberries in a golden, flaky crust. Warm slices promise comfort and nostalgia with each delightful forkful you savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups rhubarb, fresh, chopped (½-inch pieces)
- 2 ½ cups strawberries, fresh, hulled and halved
- 1 cup sugar, granulated
- ¼ cup sugar, light brown
- 2 ½ cups flour, all-purpose
- 1 cup butter, unsalted, cold and cut into cubes (2 sticks)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 6–8 tablespoons water, ice
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces (for dotting)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Craft Pie Crust: Blend flour, salt, and sugar in a spacious mixing bowl. Incorporate cold butter using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles grainy texture. Gradually introduce ice water until dough coheres. Partition dough into two equal portions, shape into flat discs, encase in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for minimum one hour.
- Prepare Fruity Filling: Combine rhubarb and strawberries with sugars, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla in a generous bowl. Allow ingredients to marinate and release juices for 10-15 minutes.
- Shape Pie Base: Dust work surface with flour and gently roll out first dough disc. Transfer carefully into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming excess edges with precision.
- Assemble Pie Components: Transfer macerated fruit mixture into prepared crust, strategically dotting surface with small butter fragments.
- Create Pie Top: Roll second dough disc and cover filling, either as complete layer or decorative lattice design. Delicately crimp edges and brush surface with egg wash. Optional: Sprinkle coarse sugar for enhanced texture.
- Bake to Perfection: Warm oven to 400F (200C). Position pie on baking sheet to capture potential drippings. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F (175C) and continue baking 35-40 minutes until crust transforms golden and filling bubbles energetically.
- Cooling Phase: Allow pie to rest and stabilize completely before slicing, enabling filling to set firmly.
Notes
- Rhubarb releases significant liquid during baking, so drain excess juice after mixing filling to prevent soggy bottom crust.
- Cover pie crust edges with aluminum foil during last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning while ensuring complete filling cooking.
- Adjust sugar ratio depending on rhubarb’s tartness – use more sugar for very sour rhubarb, less for sweeter varieties to maintain balanced flavor profile.
- Allow filling to rest 10-15 minutes before baking to help cornstarch activate and thicken juices, creating smoother, more consistent filling consistency.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg