What started out as a way to practice making lattices turned into a recipe worth repeating! This cross between a pie and a blackberry cobbler really showcases what is now my favorite all-butter pie crust recipe for fruit pies.
I'm not sure whether to call this a cobbler or a bottomless pie. It's baked in a pie dish and has only a top crust; but unlike my grandma's biscuit topped cobbler, this one has a rich lattice of flaky pastry. And making the lattice was enjoyable despite the fact I'm not very crafty. The trick to taking the anxiety out of crafting the lattice is building it separately. I rolled the dough into a circle on a floured surface, cut the strips, arranged them on a parchment lined tray, froze the lattice, then plopped it right on top.
If you are not picky about pie crusts or are in a hurry, refrigerated pie dough will work perfectly. However, if you have time to make it from scratch I really hope you try this all-butter pastry dough made with European style butter. It's the one that originally went with the Best Ever Apple Pie, but since it's so rich and buttery, I think it works better as a top crust only so that its richness isn't wasted on a bottom crust.
Update: I make this cobbler whenever I'm in the mood to make pie crust and when blackberries are on sale. This pastry dough is very good. It's also high in butter, so be sure to use a well-floured surface when rolling it out. The extra flour offsets the butter a bit and makes the strips easier to work with.
Recipe
Blackberry Cobbler with Pastry Dough
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 ¼ cups 6 oz all-purpose flour -- weigh for best results
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter Plugra, Kerrygold, Land o'Lakes
- 3 tablespoons ice water mixed with ½ tablespoons of vinegar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla plus more water as needed about 1-2 tablespoons more
- Heavy cream mixed with a little egg white for brushing on pastry or just some egg wash
Filling
- 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries thawed and drained
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar and chill for about 20 minutes.
- Transfer dry mixture to a food processor and pulse to mix. Add chunks of butter and pulse until mixture is coarse.
- Pour crumbly mix into a bowl and add water mixture. Stir with a heavy duty scraper, then keep adding water, one tablespoon at a time until dough holds together when pinched but is still slightly crumbly (not too dry).
- Empty mixture onto a clean surface and shape it into a firm disc. If it's a little crumbly, just press it very tightly and wrap. It should hold together better after it has chilled. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill for an hour or until ready to use.
- Set the chilled disc on a floured surface and let it sit for about 10 minutes so that it is still cool, but a little more pliable. Put a sheet of plastic wrap over it and roll into a 12 inch circle. With a pizza cutter, cut the circle into thin strips.
- Meanwhile, grease a 9 inch round deep dish (1 quart) pie dish.
- In a bowl (you can use the same bowl you used for the pie crust mixture), mix together the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Toss berries in the sugar mixture, then sprinkle with lemon juice. Spread evenly in the pie dish.
- Using the strips of dough, build a lattice directly over the berries or on a parchment lined tray. If using a tray, freeze the lattice and set over the berries (I rarely do this anymore).
- Brush lattice with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
- Set the cobbler on a rimmed baking sheet and place on center rack.
- Bake at 375 degrees F. for 40-45 minutes or until lattice is golden brown.
Christine from Cook the Story says
Your crust is beautiful!
Janice E says
Genius idea re building, then freezing, the lattice and popping it on!!
Anna says
Darlene, I totally agree! It's nice being able to make a lovely triangular slice, but bottom crusts are just a waste of calories in general.
Gloria, freezing the lattice just makes it easier to lift the lattice and set it on the pie. The dough thaws pretty rapidly after you plop it on top of the pie, so by the time the pie (cobbler, whatever) goes in the oven, the dough is not frozen, just very cold. I should, however, make a note to keep an eye on it and put a sheet of foil over it if it browns quickly. Mine actually didn't need foil at all, but that might not be the case for everyone.
Gloria says
My mouth is watering. I love a good crust. It's even more important to me than the fruit filling!! Thanks for the tip about freezing the strips before placing them. That may even help them to not burn.
Darlene says
So pretty and a good solution! I don't want the excess calories from two layers of crust on a slice of pie, and this ensures that the crust isn't soggy and is worth the calories. I'd gladly trade a layer of crust for a little scoop of ice cream on the side of this.