Mini Blueberry & Lemon Pies

INGREDIENTS

For the Pie Dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold + cubed
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, cold
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup ice water
• 1 egg, for egg wash (can also use cream)

For the Pie Filling:

• 3 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup raw sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice + zest from half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

For the Pie Dough:

1. Using a food processor pulse the flour, salt and sugar. Add the cubed butter, shortening and vanilla and pulse until a crumb like mixture forms.
2. Once it’s nice and crumby, add in the cold water one tablespoon at a time until the crumbs begin to come together. Turn out onto pastry board and shape dough into a disk (NOTE: if dough seems wet, add a bit more flour. If the dough seems dry, add a bit more water)
3. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours.
4. About 20 minutes out from your dough being ready, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
5. On a floured surface roll out pie dough to 3/4 cm thick and cut out four circles (I used the lid as a cookie cutter and left a little extra hangover room) & place inside mini cocottes.

For the Pie Filling:

1. In a mixing bowl toss blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest & vanilla and evenly distribute the filling amongst the pies.
2. Cut another layer out from the dough and place on top of your filling, pinching the sides to seal the two doughs together.
3. Brush with egg wash or heavy cream & sprinkle with raw sugar and cut a small X in the middle for the heat to escape.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown
5. Serve hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream on top!