Fresh Strawberry Pie
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
A cooked strawberry glaze, thickened with pectin and cornstarch, is folded through sliced berries and topped with a shingled pattern of glazed halves over a baked pie shell. Pureeing only half the fruit keeps the filling sliceable while the rest stays whole and fresh-tasting.
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Method
- 1
Puree half the berries. Puree the halved strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed; you should have a little over 300 ml of puree, so spoon off any extra.
- 2
Boil the glaze base. Bring the puree, sugar, pectin and the pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Raise the heat to medium-high and boil hard until the sugar and pectin dissolve, about 1 minute. Take off the heat and skim off any foam.
- 3
Thicken the glaze. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water in a small bowl until completely smooth. Off the heat, stir the slurry into the strawberry mixture, then return it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat to medium-low and keep stirring until the glaze turns thick and clear, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cinnamon, lemon juice and vanilla. Scrape the glaze into a large bowl, setting aside 60 ml for the topping, and cool to room temperature, at least 15 minutes.
- 4
Coat and fill. Fold the sliced strawberries into the cooled glaze with a rubber spatula, turning several times until every slice is coated. Turn the glazed berries into the pie shell and spread them into an even layer, smoothing the top.
- 5
Top and chill. Stir the extra water into the reserved glaze to thin it, then brush it over the top berries so they shine. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 6, before serving.
Storage
Keep refrigerated and eat within 2 days; the crust will gradually soften as the glaze releases moisture, so this pie is best enjoyed fresh.
Free sugars
25 g per serving
50 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 100 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- blender or food processor
- medium saucepan
- small bowl
- large bowl
- rubber spatula
- pastry brush
- 23 cm pie pan
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 273 kcal |
| Protein | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 50.8 g |
| of which sugars | 32.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 25 g |
| Fat | 7.8 g |
| of which saturates | 1.9 g |
| Fibre | 3.5 g |
| Salt | 0.35 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
0.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
