This pie is perfect for a Fourth of July celebration. It’s a showstopper for sure! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or top it with whipped cream and everyone will be lining up for a slice.
OK, I was so disappointed that our cute little stars disappeared after baking the pie. We’ve baked this pie many times and today the stars decided to hide. 🙁 I hope it doesn’t happen when you bake this!
Here’s what it looked like at the 2016 IDOS Cook Off in Utah – much better! (Home made pie dough makes all the difference in the world!)
Here’s the recipe.
- Two pie crusts, store bought or home made
- For the strawberry filling
- 4 cups frozen, hulled strawberries OR two cups strawberries and two cups slice, frozen rhubarb
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanila
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Minute tapioca
- 2 teaspoons zest of orange (organic is best)
- For the blueberry filling
- 2 cups frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Minute tapioca
- 1 teaspoon zest of lemon (organic is best)
- For the egg white wash
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- For Decoration
- Large crystal sugar
Directions:
- Prepare a 10-inch camp Dutch oven by cutting a circle that fits the bottom of the oven. This video shows how. Next, cut a piece of parchment paper about 24-inches long. Divide the parchment into four long strips by folding in half lengthwise, and repeat again, then cut along each fold. You should have four parchment strips that are 4-inches wide and 24-inches long. Fold three strips in half length wise so that each is 2-inches wide and 24-inches long. Place the middle of one strip across the bottom of the oven with about 2-inches hanging over the sides. Repeat with two more strips, with the middle of each strip intersecting at the middle of the oven. Secure with binder clips or clothes pins. Notice how I placed the strips so the the strips avoid the bail and are able to lay flat with room for the clip to secure the strips. Set aside.
- Roll out a disc of dough and shape it into a circle that is about 15-inches in diameter. Place pie dough into the bottom of prepared camp Dutch oven, making sure that the sides come up the side of the oven at least 2 and 1/2-inches. Place oven in a cooler to chill while preparing berry filling.
- To make the strawberry filling, place strawberries/rhubarb, sugar, vanilla, salt, tapioca, and zest of organ in a large mixing bowl. Toss until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- To make blueberry filling, place blueberries, sugar, ground cinnamon, lemon juice, melted butter, tapioca, and zest of Leon in a bowl. Toss until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is about 8-inches wide and 18-inches long. Fold it in half lengthwise so that is about 2-inches wide and 18-inches long. Next, fold it in half so that it is 2-inches wide and 9-inches long. To create a dam to hold the blueberries separate from the strawberry filling, fold the aluminum strip out to form a 90-degree angle. This is your aluminum “dam” that will hold the blueberry filling separately from the strawberry filling.
- Remove prepared camp Dutch-oven from cooler. Place the 90-degree aluminum foil strip into the oven to create a space that is 1/4th of the pie. With an extra set of hands, hold the dam in place and spoon in the blueberry filling.
- Next spoon in strawberry filling in to the remaining 3/4ths of the pie.
- Remove the aluminum foil dam.
- Orient the pie with the blueberry filling in the upper left area. Roll out pie dough and cut out small stars and 1/4-inch wide stripes.
- Place stars on top of blueberry filling and stripes across strawberry filling, leaving a gap between stripes.
- Make egg white wash by whisking together egg white and a teaspoon of water. Using a pastry brush, paint the egg white wash across the stars and stripes. Sprinkle with decorative sugar.
- Fire up a chimney of charcoal. Bake pie at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (19 hot charcoals in circle on the lid and 10 in a circle underneath) for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees Faharenheit (16 hot coals in a circle on the lid and 8 in a circle beneath the oven) for 45-60 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the filling bubbling all through the pie (check to make sure the center is bubbly). We replace the charcoal with fresh hot coals half-way through to maintain proper temperature.
- Remove from heat. Let cool and then place oven in a cold-water bath with the level of the water even with the top of the pie. Gradually add ice to chill. (We use old milk cartons filled with water then frozen solid.) Add ice and remove excess water as needed. Make sure to keep water out of the pie by pulling up parchment strips – don’t let them dangle in the water. Also make sure to protect the pie when adding ice or water – don’t let water splash on the pie.
- When the pie is completely cold all the way through, run a thin spatula around the outside of the edge of the pie to make sure the pie is unstuck from the side of the oven.
- Remove from oven using the parchment lifter strips. Ask one or two people to assist. Each person holds two tabs. Make sure someone is holding each end of a lifter or else the pie will slide around. Here’s a quick video showing how we lift a pie out of a chilled camp Dutch oven.
- Gently pull lifter strips out from under the pie.
- Slice and enjoy!
Note: When I baked this pie, I used a store bought pie crust for the bottom and home made on top. I should have not used the store bought pie – it was not big enough. Plus the texture paled in comparison to the yummy home made dough. I also had too much fruit in the filling which is why the cute little stars sank. Bummer! I adjusted the amount of fruit for this recipe. If you use a store bought pie dough, look for deep dish or 14-inches.
