4th of July Dessert: Patriotic Berry Pie

[ad#co-3]

Berry Pie Ingredients:

For the crust
2 cups flour (all-purpose)
¼ cup almonds, finely chopped
¼ tsp salt
2/3 cup butter, cold
5-7 tbsp. ice water
For the filling
2 ½ cups sliced strawberries
1 ¾ cups raspberries
1 ½ cups blueberries
½ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tbsp. water
½ tsp almond extract
For the egg wash
1 egg
Sanding sugar

Berry Pie Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425^oF.
2. Combine the flour, salt and chopped almonds in a large bowl. Cut the butter into chunks and add it to the flour mixture; mix with two forks to achieve a coarse crumb-like mixture. Add little by little water, just until the mixture is moistened.
3. Take 1/3 of the mixture out and shape a ball. Place it on wrapping foil and flatten it a bit. Wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator to rest.
4. Sprinkle a little flour on a working surface, take the remaining dough and roll it out into a circle (about 12 inch, 1/8 inch thick). Fold the circle into quarters and place it onto a 9 inch pie plate. Now carefully unfold the circle and press it firmly so it takes the shape of the pie plate. Let a little dough over the edges.
5. The next step is to prepare the berries. You will need two bowls; one to put in the strawberries and the raspberries and the other for the blueberries.
6. In another bowl, mix together the sugar and the corn starch. Now add about ¼ cup of this mixture to the blueberries, along with one tbsp. water and ¼ tsp almond extract. Toss gently to coat everything. Add the rest of the sugar mixture to the strawberries and raspberries, together with ¼ tsp almond extract and toss gently to coat all the berries.
7. Take a piece of aluminum foil and fold it a few times in order to make a 2 inch wide strip. Place the strip onto the pie crust, so you separate the surface into 1/3 and 2/3 sections. Press the foil a little bit so it slightly gets into the crust. Now take a spoon and pour the blueberries into the smaller section of the pie. Pour the strawberries and raspberries into the larger section. Now you can remove the foil with care so the berries don’t mix.
8. Take the remaining dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured working surface. Cut out 5 strips (3/4 inch) to use as the flags’ stripes and place them over the strawberries and raspberries. Fold the remaining edge of the crust over the strips.
9. Using a small star cookie cutter, cut out as many stars as you like and place them over the blueberries.
10. Slightly beat the egg and brush the crust with it. To finish, sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
11. Bake for about 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to about 375^oF and continue baking for about 30-40 minutes. Cool, serve and enjoy!

Want more berry recipe ideas?

Take a look at our 23 Patriotic Dessert Recipes!

If you want, you can even make the pie in a rectangular shape to give it an even more flag-like look. This 4^th of July Dessert is going to be the hit of your celebration party. You can serve it with a delicious ball of vanilla ice cream to round it up and provide the perfect patriotic dessert for your guests.

For more summer holiday desserts on Stagetecture, click here.

Ready for a sweet variety to your dessert, then try this three berry pie! You tasty the flaky crust, that holds the juicy goodness that each of the berries brings into the filling which explodes in your mouth every time you take a bite.  This recipe will take you back to the times when you would sit on the porch and drink juice watched the sunset.

Ripe Triple Berry Pie

Image via: Herald Guide

[ad#co-1]

Servings: 10-20

Prep Time: 45 min.

Cook Time:  45 min.

Ingredients

Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie

1. 2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
2. ½ teaspoon of Salt
3. 2/3 cup of Shortening, Chilled
4. 6 tablespoons of cold water

Three-Berry Filling

1. 1 cup of Fresh Strawberries, halved
2. 2 cups of Fresh Raspberries
3. 1 ½ cups of Fresh Blueberries
4. ½ cup of White Sugar
5. 3 tablespoons of Cornstarch

Image via: Bakers Squares Restaurants

Instructions

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the pieces are the size of small peas then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixer and gently toss with a fork.
2. Push the moistened portion to the side of the bowl and repeat using 1 tablespoon of water at a time until all is moistened.
3. Divide in the dough in half, form each half into a ball and flatten slightly and wrap into plastic.  Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
4. After the dough has been refrigerated, transfer one piece of it to a lightly floured surface.  Roll that dough from the center to the edges to form a 12-inch circle.  Then wrap the crust around the rolling pin and unroll it onto a 9-inch pie plate.  Gently ease the crust into the pie plate, being very careful not to stretch it.
5. Trim the bottom crust evenly with the rim of the pie plate, and put the pastry-lined pie plate back into the refrigerator.
6. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch then add in the strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries; gently toss until berries are fully coated.  Let the fruit mixture stand for about 15 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven for 375 degrees F and place baking sheet in to a preheated oven.
8. Roll out the remaining pastry for the top crust, stir berry mixture and pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie plate.  Place the top crust over the pie and trim the edges, making sure to leave a ½ -inch overhang.
9. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust, pressing lightly to seal.  Crimp the edges of the crust and cut vents in the top to allow steam to escape.  To prevent over-browning, cover the edge of the pie with foil.
10. Then put the pie into the preheated oven and bake tray for 25 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden.  When finished baking let the pie cool on the rack and then serve!

For more dessert recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Happy DIY Saturday! For those of you that are contemplating the decision to install hardwood floors in your home, whether its for the aesthetic, family members have allergies, or you want a change in your home, today we are talking about protecting your hardwood floors.

If you already have hardwood floors, here’s a You Tube video on keeping them shiny without developing a buildup and our Guest Blogger, gives tips for protecting hardwood floors from moisture damage.

Guest Blogger: How to Protect your Hardwood Flooring from Moisture Damage

Irrespective of how robust hardwood floors are they are prone to damage, which is triggered on by extreme climatic changes. Moisture is the biggest threat to hardwood floor products. Hence as a homeowner you should ensure that any spill on your hardwood floor should be cleaned up before it seeps into the layers of wood. Moisture as a result of a spill if left neglected can gradually destroy the surface of your hardwood floor.

Hardwood floor products

Hardwood floor products tend to absorb a lot of moisture. Since they are a product of nature, hardwood floors react to variations in temperature and humidity. Typically hardwood floor products tend to absorb moisture and swell up when there is a high amount of humidity. During the winter season however, hardwood floors lose moisture and tend to contract. Once you understand how this happens you would be able to prevent the seasonal changes to your hardwood flooring.

During the biting winters the air is usually dry due to the internal heating in your home. Hardwood floor products tend to lose moisture during the cold season and contract as a result. This leads to the development of thin gaps between the planks of your flooring. Nothing to be alarmed about however, as this typically happens with every hardwood floor during the winter season. With the onset of spring, the moisture levels increase and the gaps formed between the planks close on their own.

In the summer time, the levels of humidity within your home can soar as high as 90%. The rise in humidity affects hardwood floor products and they tend to absorb the moisture present in the air and swell up. The swelling is quite prominent and you will notice that the edges of your hardwood floor products are much higher than its center. This phenomenon is called cupping. Spilt water can also cause cupping to occur as the wood absorbs the moisture and expands. It would take a while for your hardwood floor to flatten itself out on its own after the natural moisture within the wood gets restored.

So how do you prevent cupping from taking place? The moment you notice that your hardwood floor is expanding and the edges are higher than its surface; you should immediately try and figure out the source of the moisture. Cupping can occur due to indoor humidity, flooding or even a plumbing leak. Once the source of moisture is removed, your hardwood floor can be restored back to normal with proper sanding. This would smoothen out the edges and have your precious hardwood floor looking immaculate again.

National Hardwood Flooring is an online retailer of fine hardwood products.

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

When choosing wood colors for your kitchen do you know where to start?  When we choose the dark espresso wood cabinets for our kitchen remodel, I just chose a color that I loved.  In hindsight, I realized that choosing the right wood color can make the difference in how large the kitchen feels, as well as if the kitchen needs warmth added to it, etc..

Southern Living has an article about choosing the right wood color for your kitchen.  Here are some tips to help you choose.

Which Woods Work for You?

Light woods:

To make a small kitchen appear larger, consider pale yellow and tan woods.

• Oak: strong hardwood that resists wear and tear
• Maple: uniform color with a tighter grain than oak
• Pine (Southern Yellow): inexpensive wood with a bold grain pattern; accepts stains and paints very well
• Ash: used in curved cabinets because it bends easily; good to stain

Medium woods:

Casting a pinkish, light brown, or tan hue, these woods bring warmth to a room.

• Beech: fine, even texture with straight, sometimes interlocking grain
• Cherry: reddish-brown; expensive

Dark woods:

From medium brown to black, these woods make a statement.

• Butternut: straight-grained with a satiny luster; stains well
• Mahogany: high-priced with a variety of grain patterns
• Walnut: sought for high-end paneling and cabinetry; has a straight grain and uniform texture

Quick Color Tip: When in doubt, choose a lighter wood such as oak or maple. It’s much easier to darken lighter woods than to make dark woods lighter.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.