*This Blackberry Pie is scented with lemon zest and lavender for a tangy, floral take on a classic summer pie.
Despite my lack of gardening prowess, our blackberry bushes are producing mass amounts of berries this summer. “Apparently” you are supposed to cut the canes that produce that year back in the fall so that they will be ready to grow the next year.
Yeah. We didn’t do that.
They grew wild and untamed all through the spring and early summer without so much as a single blossom appearing. But, come July, we had white blossoms covering the unruly canes and now here we sit in the middle of August, drowning in dark, juicy blackberries. The canes on the right side of the house are the size of my thumb. Unfortunately you have to dig back behind unnervingly large spider webs to get to them, which means that we only get to eat them when my husband or recklessly brave neighbor are around to fish them out.
Regardless, we have loads of beautiful berries and the first thing I did when I picked a large basket full was make this pie!
Blackberry pie is a wonderful thing. But add in a little lemon and a bit of lavender and you have something unusual and special. Lavender and berries are one of my favorite combinations. I like to use lavender oil (food grade, or course) because it takes so little to add a hint of lavender and it keeps for a long time. I add three drops of oil because I love lavender and like it to be very present in my pies, but if you aren’t such a fan, add one or two drops.
- FOR THE CRUST:
- 2½ cups White Whole Wheat Flour
- 3 tablespoons fine Cane Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ cup Shortening
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup + Ice Water
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 5 cups Blackberries
- Juice of ½ a large Lemon
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 2-3 drops Lavender Oil
- 1 cup Turbinado or Demerara Sugar
- 5 tablespoons Tapioca Starch
- 1 egg, beaten
- FOR THE CRUST:
- Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with an 's' blade. Pulse the mixture a few times until blended together.
- Add the shortening to the food processor and pulse once. Add the cubes of butter, one at a time, pulsing a few times after the addition of each cube.
- With the processor running, drizzle in the ice water until the mixture starts to form into large clumps. Do not add too much water. Dough should not be sticky or wet, but should come together to form a nice dough.
- Divide the dough in half, wrap up one half and set aside.
- Roll the other half of dough into a ball and place in between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll to a circle that is 1½-2 inches larger in circumference than your pie dish.
- Place the sheet of dough over the top of your pie dish and remove parchment paper. Press the dough in to fit the bottom and sides of the dish. There should be a little bit of dough left hanging over the edges. Trim dough around the edge of the pie.
- Place the crust in the fridge and make the pie filling.
- FOR THE FILLING:
- Place the blackberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, lavender oil, tapioca starch, and sugar in a large bowl. Toss to coat - tapioca starch should dissolve.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the dough lined pie dish.
- Place the remaining half of the pie dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to a thickness of 1/16". Cut the dough into thin strips and cover the pie in a lattice pattern.
- Cut off the pieces of lattice that hang over the pie crust.
- Brush beaten egg over the top of the pie crust.
- Cover the top of the pie with a loose layer of tin foil.
- Bake on the middle rack of an oven at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove the tin foil and continue baking the pie until the filling is bubbling. The center of the filling should be thick and gel-like.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
More Pie:
Cherry & White Balsamic Slab Pie
I would love to be able to grow as many fruits and berries as you do! It’s the only thing that makes me think moving further away from the city so I can move out of my garden pots. I do love a touch of lavender with my fruit, so this pie sounds divine!
Gosh that looks absolutely mouth watering! Well done
I prefer pies to cakes and this pie looks like something I would go for right away!
Be still my heart, that lattice is everything! Gorgeous pie!
Prettiest lattice ever!
Thanks so much, Alanna! xo
Where do you buy food quality Lavender Oil? All lavender oils I know are not recommended to ingesting. It is difficult to find medical quality in the USA.
doTERRA carries food grade oils =)
I just made this pie, and I love it! I really love the touch of lavender and the kick the lemon gives it. I used a little less sugar than you called for, and lavender bitters instead of oil, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for the great recipe!