The first.

I bought a pie recipe book with 500 different types of pies and tarts. I then went to William Sonoma and bought some pie crust mix and a really sweet pie dish. I decided that my wife and/or kids will choose a random recipe from the Pie and Tart Book week and then I will put it all together on Wednesday evenings. My family and I will sample the wares every Thursday after dinner. My family seems very agreeable to this. Home baked dessert once a week? Fabulous!

The monday before Thanksgiving I chose my first pie. It was to be a blueberry yogurt cream pie. Being so close to Thanksgiving, it became the 1st pie on my baking adventure. Thanksgiving fell on a Thursday so the timing was perfect.

The Crust (this recipe makes 2 crusts and todays pie only needs one so divide the recipe in half unless you want to make 2)!:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

1 large egg

2 tsp. white vinegar

2 tbsp. ice-cold water

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut the veggie shortening and butter into small chunks and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or two knives in a crisscrossing motion, blend until the butter and shortening mix with the flour and salt to give consistency of wet sand, with a few pea size pieces of butter and shortening remaining. In a separate bowl, using a whisk or fork. beat the egg with the vinegar and water. Blend into the flour mixture  and stir until mixture is moist. The dough should be able to be formed into a ball.  Divide into 2 balls  and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Form into a flat disk and chill for a minimum of half an hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350F

When you’re ready, lightly flour a surface to roll out crust.  Remove one disk from fridge and roll out from center to edge, until you have a crust that extends an inch past your pie plate. Transfer the pie crust to your pie plate and carefully press in. If cracks appear during transfer or when in’s in dish, push seams back together with lightly floured fingers. Crimp edges decoratively.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350F. Transfer to wire rack and leave it to cool.

The filling (truly delish)!:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 tbsp. water

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups whole-milk vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups fresh blueberries

In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Set aside for a few minutes while you fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Then cook the gelatin for 3 to 4 minutes until dissolved. Pour the gelatin into a metal bowl filled with 1/4 cup of the whipping cream.

In a separate bowl, stir the yogurt and sugar together. Gently whisk the yogurt mixture into the metal bowl with the gelatin mixture then set the bowl in the ice bath. Brrrr…

Chill, stirring occasionally for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken. Using a separate bowl and electric mixer, beat the remaining cream into stiff peaks. Gently fold the cream  and 1 3/4 cups of blueberries into the chilled yogurt and gelatin mixture. Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust and place the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries over the filling. Voila! Pie #1! Fifty one to go!!!

I haven’t baked in a while but everything came together nicely and tasted good. The consistency of the pie was also strong. All guests seemed to like the pie and they thought it noble to try a 52 week challenge. Next week, Mudd Pie…