Pear Raspberry Pie

Posted: February 13th, 2010 | Filed under: Pie | Tags: heart pie, heart shapped pies, pate brisee, pear raspberry pie, sweet pie crust, Valentine pie, Valentine's day pie | 3 Comments »

Even if it was the nine-hundred-and-ninety-ninth of July,

Even if it was August, even if was way down at the bottom of November, even if it was no particular day in January,

I would go on choosing you, and you would go on choosing me, over and over again.

Thats how it would happen every time, I don’t know why.

I guess I don’t know why I like you really, why do I like you? I guess I just like you. I guess I just like you, because I like you.

Awhile back Ryan picked up the book  I Like YouI, by Sandol Stoddard Warburg, I like to read it around Valentine’s Day. Its adoreable, and it alone reminds me of the many reasons why I like Ryan so much. In his interest I’ve been baking more not cakes. He likes cake, he does. But he prefers pie, tarts, chocolate mousse, plenty of things that just aren’t cake. So in honor of my sweet valentine, here is my Valentine’s Day dessert, Pear Raspberry Pie – baked in small mason jars with a little heart cut out…

I hope you enjoy your day o love… and I hope if you aren’t in love with someone, you are at least spending time with someone.

Pear Raspberry Pie

Crust (Pate Brisee)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just comes together.Divide dough in half; shape each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Filling

Pate Brisee
All-purpose flour, for surface
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 pounds (about 6) ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, core removed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) raspberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water, plus more for brushing
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch circle, 1/8 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or large round cookie cutter cut circles out to cover the tops of the mason jars. Using a small heart shaped fondant cutter cut small hearts out of the crusts. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm.

Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add pears, raspberries, and lemon juice, and toss to coat. Spoon mixture into small mason jars, piling high in the center. Dot with butter. Press crust over the top of the jar. Brush lightly with water. Arrange hearts on top of each pie. (To help hearts stick, lightly brush each with water as needed.)  Whisk yolk and water in a small bowl. Lightly brush each piecrust with egg wash, then sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack on the lowest third. Place pies on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until crust turns light gold, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake, rotating halfway through, until crusts are golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.

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