Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog-style post, following your guidelines, about making a Baker’s Square-style strawberry rhubarb pie:
Alright, folks, let’s talk pie! Specifically, that amazing Strawberry Rhubarb pie from Baker’s Square. I’ve been craving it for ages, but the closest one is, like, a million miles away. So, what’s a girl to do? Figure out how to make the dang thing myself, of course!
Getting Started
First, I needed to gather my stuff. And let me tell you, finding rhubarb in the middle of [Insert Month] was an adventure in itself. Finally tracked some down at a farmer’s market – score!
Here’s what I ended up using:
- For the Crust:
- About 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (I just eyeballed it, honestly)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of COLD unsalted butter, cut into little cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- Maybe 5-7 tablespoons of ice water – again, just kinda went with the flow
- For the Filling:
- 4 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 4 cups of fresh rhubarb, chopped into, like, 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup of cornstarch (this is the secret weapon, people!)
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (just a pinch!)
- 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into small bits
Making the Crust (Don’t Be Scared!)
Okay, pie crust can be intimidating, I get it. But it’s really not that bad. I dumped the flour and salt into a big bowl, then tossed in the cold butter cubes. Used my pastry blender (you could use your fingers, but my hands are always warm) to cut the butter into the flour until it looked like coarse crumbs. Some bits of butter were pea-sized, some smaller – that’s perfect.
Then, I drizzled in the ice water, a little at a time, mixing with a fork until it just started to come together. Don’t overmix! I formed it into a disc, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and popped it in the fridge for about an hour. Chilling is key!
The Strawberry Rhubarb Magic
While the dough was chilling, I got to work on the filling. I mixed the sliced strawberries, chopped rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Gave it a good stir to make sure everything was coated. Cornstarch will get the pie thick,don’t worry.
Putting It All Together
Preheated my oven to 400°F (200°C). Took the dough out of the fridge, rolled it out on a lightly floured surface (aka, my countertop). It wasn’t a perfect circle, but who cares? Rustic is in, right?
Carefully transferred the dough to my pie plate. Poured in the strawberry rhubarb filling, spreading it out evenly. Dotted the top with those little bits of butter (because butter makes everything better).
I didn’t do a fancy top crust, just folded over the edges a bit. You could totally do a lattice top if you’re feeling ambitious. I’m not that fancy.
Bake and Wait (The Hardest Part)
I put the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and baked it for about 45-50 minutes. The crust was golden brown, and the filling was bubbling. It smelled amazing.
Now for the torture: letting it cool. Seriously, it needs to cool for at least 2-3 hours before you cut into it, otherwise, it’ll be a runny mess. I know, it’s hard, but trust me. It’s worth the * pie is thick and awesome.
Finally, I cut myself a big slice (okay, maybe two slices) and dug in. It was pretty darn close to the Baker’s Square version! Sweet, tart, and just plain delicious. Totally worth the effort. Now it is my favourite pie.
