Plum Pie for Pi Day

Celebrate Pi(e) Day with this fruity, fresh and flavourful Plum Pie!

Let’s get real. I HATE math. It was the biggest pain in my butt, back in school. And still is, even today, when I’m standing at the cash counter, counting on my fingers, checking if the change handed back to me is the right amount. EMBARRASSING!

So, because math and I aren’t even acquaintances, I use March 14th (Pi Day – 03.14; get it?) as an excuse to bake pie. And this year, the star was this lush Plum Pie! See now, if my high school math teacher had tried to explain math using pie, that I would be down for 😀

My original plan for Pie Day was to bake a glorious Strawberry Pie, an impassioned ode to my favourite fruit using the last strawberries of the season. But my produce run proved futile when I walked over to the berry section and saw that my beloved had long escaped my reach (see you in summer, strawberries!). Just as I was walking away, hanging my head, feeling glum about not having pie on pi day; I set my sights on some pink, fleshy plums. Hallelujah! The pie project was back on!

Here’s what you need:

For the Pie Crust:

• All Purpose Flour – 2 and 1/2 cups
• Sugar – 3 tbsp
• Salted Butter – 226 g, cold and cubed
• Ice Water – 1/4 cup
• Egg – 1, beaten, for egg wash

For the Filling:

• Sweet Plums – 10, deseeded and halved
• Granulated Sugar – 100 g
• Ground Cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
• Cornflour – 1 tbsp

Here’s how you make this super-simple, delicious Plum Pie:

• Make the Pastry: Combine flour and sugar in the food processor/mixer grinder and give it a whiz. Add in the cold butter and pulse until the mixture turns clumpy and crumbly. Then add in 1/4 cup ice water and blend until dough is still crumbly but holds together when pressed between fingers. Turn the dough out on to plastic wrap and form into a disc. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for an hour.
• Make the Pie Filling: Place the halved plums, cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and mix. Add in the cornflour and mix until the plums are coated. Cover and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 190 °C/375° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the pie pastry until large enough to fit your pie tin with about an inch of overhang. Roll the pastry back over the rolling pin, carefully lift it and place it over the tin. With a light hand, push the dough into the fluted sides of the tin and patch up any tears with a bit of remaining dough.
• Fill the pie crust with the prepared plum filling. Roll the remaining dough out and use plunger cutters of your choice to cut out little flowers/leaves. Place these pastry flowers along the circumference (math term!) of the pie, securing them in place with a bit of water. You can even do a lattice pattern if you wish.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet and brush the pastry with egg wash. Bake for 45 minutes or until the juices in the pie are bubbling and the pastry is golden. To ensure even browning of the pastry, rotate the pie half-way through the baking process. Take the pie out when done, and leave it on the counter to cool completely. Serve with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream for best results. 😉

This Plum Pie is the beez kneez, you guys. The pie crust is spot on, flaky and crispy, just that perfect amount of ‘bite’ that makes a good pie. And the plum filling – SO GOOD! Tangy, tart, sweet, so fresh and invigorating. Like a slice of early summer on your plate. There is a chance of the filling being extra tangy if the plums aren’t the sweetest. That’s where the scoop of vanilla ice cream comes in; creamy and sweet. Plum pie and vanilla ice cream is a match made in heaven! ❤

I do hope you celebrate Pi Day with this Plum Pie. It’s super easy to make, comes together quickly and requires barely any effort. Ideal for weeknight baking, if you ask me! 😉 Get in your kitchen and get your pie on, already! 😀

For regular updates on what’s happening in The Foodscape kitchen, follow me on Instagram at @thefoodscape! You’ll love all the deliciousness there, I promise! ❤

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