Plum-Blackberry Streusel Pie

Gourmet | July 2009

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 8 servings

This is one luscious pie that highlights the best of summer.  I made this pie for our Book Group a couple of years ago and it was gone in a trice!  The colors of the plums and berries are jewel-like and the pie was pretty as a picture.  I made the Perfect Pie Dough a few days in advance, stored it in the fridge and on the day of our company, I rolled it out.  The streusel can also be made in advance.  The recipe made about twice as much streusel than what was needed, so you may wish to halve the streusel portion of the recipe or make the recipe as is and use the streusel for another dessert.  To guild the lily, be sure to serve this tasty pie with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.  I bought all the ingredients, including local berries and local plums, at Lost RiverMarket & Deli.  (I've since made this fabulous pie for my family who were visiting us from Mexico.) This recipe is a KEEPER!

1¾ pound ripe plums pitted and quartered
2 cups blackberries (I used black raspberries.)
1½  cups sugar, divided
3 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ recipe Perfect Pie Dough
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

Preheat oven to 375°F.  (I suggest you use an “oven liner” to keep any drips from the filling from messing up your oven.)

Toss plums and blackberries with 1 cup sugar, tapioca, cornstarch, zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.

Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Fit into a 9½ inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim excess dough, leaving a ½ inch overhang. Fold overhang under and press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Chill while making streusel.

Stir together oats, flour, and remaining ½ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture forms small clumps.

Mound filling in shell. Crumble streusel evenly over filling.

Bake pie until streusel is golden and filling is bubbling, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Cool completely, about 3 hours.

Plum-Blackberry Streusel Tartlet  

Here is my precious granddaughter, Sandrita (age 4)
making a Plum-Blackberry Streusel Tartlet
with the dough scraps.