Servings: —
This is the best pie..
Ingredients
4 cups hulled strawberries
Pastry Cream
3 egg yolks
1/3 c sugar
2 Tbs. sifted cornstarch
2 Tbs. sifted flour
1 cup scaled milk
2 Tbs. softened unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Pie crust
Directions
Make pastry cream (below). Make pâte brisée and roll the dough into a round 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie tin, prick the shell with a fork, and chill it for 30 minutes. Line the shell with wax paper, fill the paper with raw rice, and bake the shell on a baking sheet in the lower third of a preheated hot oven (425° F.) for 10 minutes. Remove the rice and the paper carefully and bake the shell for 10 minutes more, or until it is golden. Let the shell cool on a rack. Spread the pastry cream in the shell and top it with 4 cups strawberries, hulled.
In a saucepan combine 1 cup water, ¾ cup sugar, and, if desired, ¼ teaspoon each of strawberry extract and red food coloring, bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, and cook the syrup, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water and simmer the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes. Let the glaze cool until it is lukewarm, spoon it over the strawberries, and chill the pie for 1 hour. Garnish the pie with dollops of sweetened whipped cream and toasted slivered almonds and chill it for 1 hour more.Pastry Cream
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat 3 large egg yolks until they are combined, add 1/3 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, and beat the mixture until it is light and lemon colored. Add gradually 2 tablespoons each of sifted cornstarch and all-purpose flour and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add 1 cup scalded milk in a stream, beating, and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan, bring it to a boil, stirring, and simmer it, stirring, for 3 minutes. The mixture will be thick and custardlike. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Strain the pastry cream into a bowl and chill it, covered with a buttered round of wax paper, for 1 hour, or until it is chilled well. Makes about l cup.