https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15836/strawberry-pie-ii/Strawberry Pie Recipe
Look bubby, I’ve been making fruit pies for decades and this one is a whole different animal from that fudge cake we just talked about, this is a no-bake situation that’s all about letting those beautiful fresh strawberries shine without any oven time except for the crust
has been selling these fresh strawberry pies since way back in the 1930s when Marie and her husband Cal started selling pies in Long Beach and Orange County, and the reason they’re so popular is simple, they pile those berries high in a flaky crust and cover them with this sweet glaze that sets up like magic in the fridge
The beauty of this pie is that it’s made to order to ensure the berries stay fresh, and that’s exactly how you should treat it at home
What You Need From the Store
Here’s the deal bubby, this recipe only needs about 7 ingredients and it takes about 40 minutes of active work
For the crust you want 1 (9-inch) pre-made pie crust and honestly I recommend using frozen pie crust if you can find it because that’s what gives you that signature flaky texture
For the filling you need 4½ cups of fresh strawberries and I’m talking about ripe sweet ones, not those pale hard ones from the back of the fridge
For the glaze you need 1 (3 ounce) package of strawberry flavored gelatin mix and Jell-O brand works best here
Plus ⅔ cup of white granulated sugar, 1 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken that glaze up properly
And don’t forget the whipped cream for serving because that dollop on top is what makes it look like it came straight from the restaurant
Getting That Crust Ready
First thing you gotta do bubby is let that frozen pie crust thaw for about 10 minutes
Then grab a fork and poke some holes all over the bottom and sides of that crust, this keeps it from puffing up and getting all uneven while it bakes
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and pop that crust in for about 13 to 15 minutes until it turns a beautiful golden brown
Pull it out and let it cool completely before you do anything else because if you pour that glaze into a warm crust it’s gonna get soggy and nobody wants that
Prepping Those Strawberries
While that crust is cooling you gotta get your berries ready, take those 4½ cups of fresh strawberries and give them a good wash, let them soak in some water for about 5 minutes to get any dirt off
Then drain them and pat them completely dry with paper towels because any extra water will make your glaze watery and it won’t set up right
Now here’s the thing bubby, you want to arrange those strawberries in the cooled crust with the tips pointing up, and if some are too big you can cut them in half but you want them piled high inside that crust because this pie is all about the berries
Making That Glaze
This is where the magic happens bubby so pay attention, in a saucepan combine your ⅔ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 cup of water, and that 3 ounce package of strawberry gelatin mix
Whisk everything together until it’s smooth and there are no lumps of cornstarch floating around because those will turn into little white spots in your glaze and that looks terrible
Set your heat to low to medium and stir constantly until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken up
Once it’s bubbling and thickened slightly, pull it off the heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes
Putting It All Together
Now here’s the fun part bubby, take that cooled glaze and carefully pour it over those beautiful strawberries in the crust, making sure you cover them evenly so every berry gets coated
Don’t rush this part because you want that glaze to seep down between all those berries and hold everything together
Pop that whole pie into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and I mean at least, because that’s what sets the glaze and turns it into that perfect gel-like consistency
Serving It Up
When you’re ready to serve bubby, pull that pie out of the fridge and slice it up while it’s still cold because that’s when the glaze is firmest and you’ll get clean slices
Top each slice with a big ol’ dollop of whipped cream because that’s how Marie Callender’s does it and it cuts through that sweet berry goodness perfectly
Common Questions and Troubleshooting
People always ask me if they can use frozen strawberries and honestly bubby I wouldn’t recommend it because frozen berries release too much water and your pie will end up soupy, fresh is the way to go here
If you want to kick this pie up a notch you can drizzle some chocolate syrup over each slice before serving or add a sprinkle of powdered sugar
For storing this pie you want to keep it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or foil and it’ll stay good for a few days, though honestly it never lasts that long in my house
My Final Words to You
Look bubby this pie is the perfect summer dessert when you don’t want to turn on the oven and heat up the whole kitchen, it’s fresh and bright and that sweet glaze with the tart berries is just about as good as it gets
The key here is using the best strawberries you can find and not rushing that chilling time because that’s what makes the glaze set up right
Now go make this pie bubby and watch people’s faces light up when they take that first bite, and don’t forget to save me a slice
