Sweet crème pies and teary eyes
by
This pear crème pie can cure sadness. Honestly, truly. An iconic recipe that will make your eyes water up from the glorious taste. You’ll cry your soul out and feel refreshed and loved!
When it comes to selecting strawberries, you are encouraged to judge based on beauty. The best-tasting berries will be the most attractive. Look for strawberries that are a shiny, bright red color. Dull red berries are an indication that they are overripe. The strawberries should smell sweet, fruity, which is an indication that they will have a sweet flavor. They should be firm without bruises or soft spots, which cause the berries to deteriorate quickly. The damaged berries can contaminate the other berries and cause them to deteriorate.
Picking ripe strawberries isn’t a science, but here’s a guide anyway.
Always check the entire container of strawberries, top and bottom, to avoid purchasing berries that are dull, bruised, or moldy. Generally the size of the strawberries is not an indication of how sweet and flavorful they are, although very large strawberries tend to be less flavorful.
Strawberries do not ripen further once they are removed from the plant, altho they may intensify in color. The juiciest, sweetest berries are those that have been allowed to fully ripen on the plant.
While fresh berries can be found almost year-round in U.S. grocery stores, many people will swear by the vast superiority of hand-picked and locally-grown berries. These berries are freshest and have been handled far less than berries sold in stores.
Look for berries at markets or roadside stands, or look for farms that have strawberries available for the picking in late spring and summer. A morning of strawberry-picking makes for a unique family activity with a sweet reward.
Instructions
Wash strawberries, remove stems and quarter – or cut into bite size pieces and set aside. Put water on the stove to boil. Preheat the oven to 425. Always make the filling first – because it needs to cool some and can do so while you make the crust.
Stir sugar and cornstarch together with a fork or whisk in a large sauce pan. Gradually pour the boiling water into this mixture and place on stove top on medium high heat. Stir continuously over medium high heat until mixture turns from clear colored liquid to a milky colored gel (mixture will start to boil – just keep stirring until it turns milky and a gel consistency – about 7 minutes).
Once gel consistency is formed – remove pan from the heat and stir in the ½ pack strawberry flavored jello and the strawberries. Set aside.
In a 9” pie plate, mix flour, salt, sugar with a fork. Make a well in the center and pour in the vegetable oil and the milk. Gently mix all ingredients together until a dough forms. Press the dough into the pie plate and using fingers, pinch into fluted design at top edge. Poke at least 5 fork holes with the tines of a dinner fork into the bottom of the crust. (to allow steam to escape without buckling the crust). Bake in 425 oven for 10 mintues. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the strawberry mixture into the pie plate and place in the refrigerator until cold and set. Content adapted from Foodista.