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Recipe Detail Page
Rhubarb-Juniper Pie with Gin
Early Summer 2017
This pie combines aromatics found in gin with rosy pink rhubarb to create a springtime treat heady with herbal and floral flavours. The pastry is an adaptation of a crust developed by the folks at Cook’s Illustrated magazine who found that vodka added to pastry dough rendered it ultra-flaky. Here, gin makes the crust crisp and light while adding a little extra kick of juniper to the pie.
Serves 6 to 8
PASTRY
2¼ cups (560 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) table salt
¾ cup (175 mL) cold unsalted butter, cubed
⅓ cup (80 mL) cold lard, cubed
¼ cup (60 mL) cold gin
¼ cup (60 mL) ice water (approx.)
FILLING
1½ cups (375 mL) granulated sugar, divided
1 tsp (5 mL) dried juniper berries
¼ cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
½ tsp (2 mL) finely grated orange zest
7 cups (1.75 L) fresh or frozen trimmed, chopped rhubarb, about 1½ lbs (750 g)
2 tbsp (30 mL) gin
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp (15 mL) water
1. For pastry, combine flour and salt in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.
2. Add butter and lard, then pulse about 14 times, just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few large pieces.
3. With motor running, add gin through feed tube. Scrape dough from sides of processor. With motor running, gradually add enough water so dough just starts to clump together (you may not need all the water).
4. Tip dough out onto a clean surface. Gather briefly into a ball and cut in half. Lightly pat out each half into a disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap, then chill for at least 30 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If dough is very firm after chilling, let stand at room temperature until malleable, about 15 minutes.)
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disc of pastry to a 12-inch (30-cm) round. Line a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate with rolled-out pastry, easing pastry into plate to avoid stretching it. Trim edges, leaving a ½-inch (1-cm) border, then fold edges under to neaten. Refrigerate lined pie plate while you make filling.
6. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
7. For filling, measure granulated sugar into a clean food processor. Scoop out 1 tbsp (15 mL) of sugar and set it aside in a small bowl. Add juniper berries to food processor. Process until the juniper berries are very finely minced, about 1 minute.
8. Tip sugar mixture into a sieve set over a large bowl. Shake sieve so sugar mixture falls into bowl. Discard larger pieces of juniper berry in sieve.
9. Add flour, coriander and orange zest to sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Add rhubarb to sugar mixture and toss well.
10. Tip rhubarb mixture into lined pie plate (pie will be very full). Drizzle with gin.
11. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining pastry to a 12-inch (30-cm) round. Dampen edges of bottom crust. Carefully top pie with rolled-out pastry. Trim edges, leaving a ½-inch (1-cm) border, then fold edges under to neaten. Flute or crimp edges of pie to seal.
12. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and water. Brush yolk mixture evenly over top of pie. Sprinkle with reserved sugar. Cut 2 or 3 slits in top of pie to allow steam to escape.
13 Put pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until top is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and rotate baking sheet. Bake until pie is deep golden brown on top and juices are bubbling, about 25 minutes for fresh rhubarb, 50 minutes for frozen. Let pie stand for about 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Serves 6 to 8
