Creamy Rhubarb Pie with Good Pie Crust

Killing Birds

This recipe test was a chance to kill multiple birds with one stone. I was leaving on vacation and had rhubarb that needed to be used. I also had two recipes that needed to be tested at once--Rhubarb Pie Filling and Good Pie Crust. 

However, there were problems. The above photo clearly shows that there were no instructions for the pie filling, just a list of ingredients and the word "good" indicating that Grandma had liked this pie. Well, she might have, but I had no idea what it was supposed to look or taste like. This made me feel like a contestant on The Great British Baking Show about to undergo one of the gingham-covered technical challenges. 

Which is why I started with the crust.

It’s not bragging to say that I know how to make a good pie crust. I have an Apple Pie Baking Champion platter to back up my claim. This recipe was slightly different from my award-winning one, which contains only shortening, flour, salt, and water, but I’m always willing to give a new pie crust recipe a shot. I was curious to see what the egg, vinegar, and baking powder would add to the taste and texture of the crust.  

The recipe made enough pastry for four, single-crust or two, double-crust pies. I didn’t need that much dough, so I cut the recipe in half.  That didn’t pose a problem with most of the ingredients, but halving an egg is not simple. I cracked it into a bowl, beat it up, and measured out half the liquid, which amounted to two tablespoons.

To that I added the vinegar and water. 

I sifted together the dry ingredients. 

Then I cut the shortening in with a pastry blender. 

I’ve found that the secret to a flaky crust is to toss the flour mixture while adding the water. Toss not stir. 

 Once the mixture starts clumping together, I know it’s moist enough. This time, however, I’d added all the liquid and still had dry patches. Then I looked closer at the recipe and realized I'd put in too little liquid to start with. I added the additional water until I could gather the pastry into a cohesive ball. It was soft to the touch but not sticky. 

One of the reasons I like my usual recipe is that it’s fast and easy. I don’t have to chill the dough before rolling it out. This one didn’t call for chilling either, so I rolled it out and placed it in a pie pan like so. 

To keep the air bubbles out, I pricked it with a fork, a trick my mom always used. I later learned it's called "docking." 

 I then did something I don’t usually do, which was to put the unbaked crust in the fridge while I prepared the other crust. This turned out to be helpful, I think, because the crust kept it’s shape nicely while it baked. Isn't it pretty?

Next, the filling. Unfortunately, my rhubarb crop was paltry this year. After I chopped up everything that was left, I found that I had only half as much as the recipe called for. 

Well, it was either use what I had or wait nine months to try again, and that wasn’t happening. I put the rhubarb in a small saucepan, added about 1/2 cup of water, and cooked it until it was soft. around 10-15 minutes. Next, I brought two cups of water to a boil and added the orange jello and the sugar. 

Once that dissolved, I added the rhubarb. 

I let this mixture cool in the fridge, planning to leave it there until it was partially set. 

To be honest, I got distracted. Much later, I whipped the cream, but when I attempted to fold it in, the nearly-set jello didn’t cooperate well. Folding turned into heavy-duty stirring, and even then small chunks of jello remained. 

Oh well. I scooped the mixture into the pie crust, stuck it in the fridge, and hoped for the best. 

The Verdict

The next day, I removed the pie from the fridge, cut it up and was pleasantly surprised at how pretty a slice it made. Shockingly, the crust was crispy and possibly even flakier than my go-to. The filling was pillowy and creamy, with interesting bits of texture and tang from the rhubarb.  With those two components combined–crispy crust and fluffy, fruity filling–this pie was a delicious and refreshing late-summer treat. 

 I’ve changed the name of this recipe to differentiate it from the usual baked rhubarb pie. To try it for yourself, or to print it out for the day your rhubarb bursts forth in the spring, click on the button at the top right of the recipe cards.