Mustikkapiirakka Vaniljakastikkeella
A delightful Finnish blueberry pie with a crumbly, sweet crust and a generous filling of fresh or frozen blueberries. Often served warm with a side of vanilla sauce (vaniljakastike), it's a beloved dessert or coffee accompaniment.
🧂 Ingredients
- 300 g All-purpose flour(for the crust)
- 150 g Granulated sugar(divided, for crust and filling)
- 150 g Butter(cold, cut into cubes, for crust)
- 1 large Egg(for the crust)
- 1 tsp Baking powder(for the crust)
- 1 tsp Vanilla sugar(for the crust)
- 600 g Blueberries(fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch or potato starch(to thicken the filling)
- 1 tsp Lemon zest(optional, for brightness)
- 500 ml Milk(for vanilla sauce)
- 3 large Egg yolks(for vanilla sauce)
- 75 g Granulated sugar(for vanilla sauce)
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch(for vanilla sauce)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract(for vanilla sauce)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, 100g of sugar, baking powder, and vanilla sugar. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
💡 Tip: Keep the butter cold for a tender crust. - 2
Add the egg and mix until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 24-26 cm pie dish.
- 3
For the filling: In a separate bowl, gently toss the blueberries with the remaining 50g of sugar, cornstarch (or potato starch), and lemon zest (if using).
💡 Tip: If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them completely to prevent a watery filling. - 4
Pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust in the pie dish.
- 5
Crumble the remaining one-third of the dough over the blueberry filling to create a streusel topping.
💡 Tip: Alternatively, you can roll out the remaining dough and cut it into strips for a lattice top. - 6
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
⏱️ 40 minutes💡 Tip: If the crust starts to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil. - 7
While the pie bakes, prepare the vanilla sauce: In a saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, 75g sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
⏱️ 10 minutes💡 Tip: Do not boil the sauce, or the eggs will scramble. - 8
Let the pie cool slightly before serving warm with the vanilla sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Using a mix of fresh and frozen blueberries can provide a good balance of flavor and texture.
- ✓Ensure the cornstarch is well incorporated into the blueberries to avoid lumps in the filling.
- ✓The vanilla sauce can be made ahead of time and gently reheated.
🔄 Variations
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the crust or filling for extra warmth.
- Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream instead of vanilla sauce.