Rhubarb Berry Pie! A perfect blend of tart rhubarb and sweet blackberries.
When we first made this cake, we used blueberries instead of blackberries and a whole cup of sugar instead of half. The blueberries were frozen and not fully thawed or drained.
The cake was runny at the end (cake soup anyone?), the blueberries dominated the flavor (they were all there was to taste) and the cake was way too sweet. Well, my mom liked it, but she likes it super sweet.
This time we used last season’s frozen blackberries along with fresh rhubarb and strawberries.
We reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup (a little tart, could have used an additional tablespoon or two) and remembered to thaw and drain the marionberries. Perfect! (Don’t you love fruitcake season?)
Rhubarb and Berry Pie
The green leaves of rhubarb are poisonous, so when preparing rhubarb, be sure to discard any leaf debris.
ingredients
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1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
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1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup makes a slightly tart cake)
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3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
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1 cup sliced strawberries
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1 1/2 cups blackberries, boysenberries, or mixed berries (if using frozen berries, thaw first and then drain excess moisture)
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1 tbsp lemon juice
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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Pinch of ground mace or nutmeg
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1 cake batter recipe for top and bottom
method
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Roll out a pie dough and line the bottom of a pie tin:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out a ball of pie dough to a diameter of 12 inches. Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with the batter. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the fruit.
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Preparation of the rhubarb and berry filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and instant-cooking tapioca pearls. Add rhubarb, strawberries and other berries. Add lemon juice, vanilla and mace or nutmeg. Stir gently to coat the berries in the sugar. Leave to rest for 15 minutes, stirring once.
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Preheat oven to 375°F
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Roll out the second cake dough ball:
If you plan to make a lattice topper as shown, prepare the strips of dough as instructed in How to make a lattice topper for a pie crust.
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Pour the fruit mixture into a cake pan lined with batter
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Prepare the top crust:
If you want a lattice topper, weave strips of pie dough over the top of the fruit-filled pie pan as described in How to make a lattice topper for a pie crust. (If you want a firm surface for your cake, place the second rolled out cake base on top of the cake.) Press the ends of the strips into the rim of the bottom cake.
Trim the edges to 1/2 inch. Fold the edges back over themselves and curl to seal.
If using a firm top crust, score the top to create air vents.
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Bake:
To protect the edges of the crust from burning, cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or an aluminum pie protector. Bake at 375°F on the middle shelf for 25 minutes. Remove the foil.
Place back in the oven and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden and the juice is bubbling. Let cool completely before serving.
