1850 Blackberry Pie

1850 blackberry pie is the kind of frontier dessert that shows you how little it took to make something memorable. No top crust, no fancy lattice, no thickeners besides plain flour. Fresh blackberries get tumbled into a raw shell and a thin slurry of flour, sugar, and milk gets poured over the top. As it bakes, the milk and sugar set into a tender custard that binds the berries and tames their tartness.

A single quart of berries is enough to fill a nine inch shell to the rim, which is the right amount for the custard to bind without flooding. Use ripe but firm blackberries. Mushy berries will dissolve into pulp before the custard sets and you’ll lose the burst-in-your-mouth pockets that make this pie worth eating.

Watch the center carefully near the end of bake time. The pie is done when the custard between the berries is set with only a slight wobble. A quick run under the broiler at the end caramelizes the surface sugar into a glassy top that’s purely optional but worth the extra two minutes of attention.

Pro Tips

• Place the pie on a foil-lined sheet pan. Blackberry juice will absolutely bubble over and burn into your oven floor otherwise.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, and milk in a bowl with a spout for clean pouring. Lumps of dry flour will float to the top and bake into chalky spots.
• Cool the pie at least 2 hours before slicing. The custard needs that time to fully firm up.
• Serve with cold heavy cream poured over the top, the way they would have in 1850.

Variations

• Swap blackberries for marionberries, boysenberries, or a mix of summer brambles.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon to the milk slurry.
• Use half blackberries and half peaches for a classic late-summer fruit pie.