One of my favorite summer desserts is strawberry pie.  I have struggled for years to find the recipe that reminded me of those perfect Sunday afternoons at my Mama Spivey’s house after lunch was served.  If she wasn’t presenting a coconut cake, it was for sure a strawberry pie.

 

Recently, I was watching The Kitchen on the Food Network and saw Geoffrey Zakarian making his recipe for strawberry pie.  I was so intrigued, I had to try. (I mean my middle name could be Elderflower Liqueur.)  I modified a bit to honor my Mama Spivey’s taste and I have to say, this is a true winner for the perfect summer dessert.  So, if you don’t mind a little GZ with a little nod to Mama Spivey, I think you will like this pie as much as I do.  Honestly, the pie lasted only ONE day and it was GREAT for breakfast!  Now THAT’S a winning recipe!  Enjoy and happy summer!

 

Strawberries EVERYWHERE Pie

 

Ingredients

3 pounds strawberries

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon elderflower liqueur

1/2 cup strawberry jam

3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Kosher salt

1 store-bought pie crust baked according to package instructions.  For those of you who are gluten sensitive, I highly recommend Williams-Sonoma gluten free crust.

1 sprig of mint

 

Whipped Cream for Topping

3 cups heavy cream

4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

¼ teaspoon Strawberry Extract

¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

 

  1. Take the stems off of the strawberries and then slice/quarter strawberries and set aside 1 cup. (Leave one fat strawberry for the garnish with the mint sprig.)
  2. Stir 1 tablespoon granulated sugar together in a bowl with the elderflower liqueur until the sugar dissolves. Toss the 1cup of strawberries and set aside to macerate at room temperature.
  3. Place the remainder of the strawberries in a medium pot and gently stir together with the jam, cornstarch, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the strawberries begin to break down and the mixture is thick.
  4. Remove from the heat and let cool about 10 minutes, then stir in the reserved macerated berries.
  5. Pour mixture into the baked crust and allow to chill and thicken in the refrigerator covered until set, at least 3 hours, but preferably set overnight for best results.
  6. Just before serving, whip the cream along with the confectioners’ sugar, and extracts until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Cover your pie almost completely then garnish with your strawberry and mint sprig.