Semi-Frozen Blueberry Pie

By Ryan McKay

After watching my lads power through eight hours of pump training in the unrelenting southern sun, I contemplated breaking our weekday code of saving desserts for the weekend so we can keep our current beach bods looking slim. But alas, I am a sucker for quick, delicious desserts and rewarding my crew for a job well done. Enter my take on a semi-frozen blueberry pie.

With summer reaching an end soon, blueberries are thankfully still in peak season and thus readily available and inexpensive. These pearl-sized gems of tart and blue make me think of baked buckles, fluffy pancakes, and humble pies, so with this in mind I wanted to recreate a blueberry pie fit for summer.

Imagine, if you will, splitting the middle between a semifreddo and frozen yogurt and you’ll land at this semi-frozen delight. It uses very little in the way of ingredients and takes but a few active minutes in making, which appealed to my sore, tired body. A handful of ingredients, a power tool, and many smiling faces, this frozen pie will make your end of summer.

A few after the fire critiques: Blueberries were the call here, but I have used other fruits. Consider strawberries, mangos, pineapple, raspberries, etc. I used Turbinado sugar but regular sugar will do fine. The spices I’ve listed will do the job of bringing America to your kitchen table; however, consider adding ground ginger and cardamom as well.

FUEL:

Frozen Soft Serve

Frozen Blueberries (1½ Cups)

Sweetened Condensed Milk (¾ Cup)

Lemon Juice (from one lemon)

Lemon Zest (from half a lemon)

Salt (½ tsp.)

Crumble

Flour (1 Cup)

Sugar (¼ Cup, Turbinado preferred)

Brown Sugar (¼ Cup)

Butter (¾ Cup)

Lemon Zest (from half a lemon)

Salt (½ tsp.)

Cinnamon (½ tsp.)

All Spice (¼ tsp.)

Nutmeg (¼ tsp.)

Tools:

Food Processor

Glass or Metal Loaf Pan (or similar)

Small Sauté or Cast Iron Pan

Baking Sheet

Tactics:

Crumble

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat pan over medium heat and add butter.  Melt until lightly browned and nutty, 10-12 minutes, remove and reserve.
3. In the food processor, add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and salt and pulse to combine.
4. Turn food processor on and slowly stream in browned butter until fully combined.
5. Place the crumble onto the baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned.
6. Let cool and place in the fridge to reserve.

Frozen Soft-Serve

1. In the food processor, pulse the blueberries with the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.
2. Serve soft or transfer to a metal baking pan, cover, and freeze until just firm.
3. Serve immediately or freeze until hard and reserve.
4. Place in fridge to slowly thaw for 30 minutes prior to serving.
5. Top with crumble and indulge!