Blueberry Pie!

Oh my, I made my first pie, and it was a complete success! I have never made a pie before so I thought it was about time. I love baking but wouldn't dream of doing it without a recipe, so the Hummingbird Bakery held my hand on this one.

I chose a blueberry pie because it looked fairly easy, and it helps that we love blueberries, I might try a lemon meringue one next time. I made the pastry, by hand not in the mixer as suggested, it was a lot more fun, and a lot less noisy. You have to use a tonne of blueberries so this is not a cheap pie to make by any stretch, but that is not the point, right? I even got fancy and made little pastry leaves to go on top, (that wasn't in the recipe).

It takes hours to make a pie! You have to let the pastry rest for an hour before rolling it out, then you have to let the pie rest for an hour once you have put it together but before cooking. Luckily I had time so it was quite enjoyable. When I did bake it I had to have my oven 20 degrees hotter than the recipe states, and cook it for about 20 minutes longer, because I have a shitty oven. I had learnt my lesson from the blueberry muffin fiasco. But look I made pie! And it was fecking awesome if I do say so myself. We both had seconds, although to be honest that doesn't mean much cause we probably would have had second if it wasn't very good, we are sweet fiends.....but it was good, so so good.

What's your favourite pie to make/eat?

Blueberry Muffins

Last week after we had planned to get the tandem, I decided to make some Blueberry Muffins for the picnic, so Friday night I did. I got all my shiznit together and picked a recipe from my Hummingbird Bakery book.

Mixed everything together using my not very fancy £15 hand mixer, (I am desperate for a fancy orange Kenwood mixer, but can't justify the cost at the moment...) it did the job. I did however realise too late that I should have put my apron on, my t-shirt was covered in flecks of muff mix, oh well that's what washing machines are for.

My first batch were a complete disaster, so obviously I didn't take a picture. I think my oven my be on it's last legs, or it's just grumpy and temperamental. I cooked them as instructed at 170 degrees for 20-25 mins, but when they came out they were pretty much still cake mix. We still ate them though, who doesn't love cake mix? Don't pretend you don't lick the bowl.

For the next lot I turned it up to 190 and let them cook for 30-35 mins, they looked better but not quite as I had hoped. Anyway lesson learnt, and it's a good excuse to practise a little more to suss out my crazy oven.

What did you last bake?