Contents
- What is Mustikkapiirakka? 🤔
- The Secret Ingredient: Bilberries! 🌿
- Grab a Bucket and Go Berry-Picking! 🍂
- How to Make Mustikkapiirakka (Finnish Blueberry Pie) 🥄
- 🥧 Ingredients for the Crust:
- 🥄 Ingredients for the Filling:
- 👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Natural Aromatherapy in the Kitchen 🌸
- The Taste Test! 🍴
- Final Thoughts 💬
Mustikkapiirakka is a traditional Finnish Blueberry Pie — a cross between a pie, tart, and cheesecake. It features a crumbly rye and wheat crust, a creamy sour cream filling, and juicy blueberries. Not too sweet and full of flavor, it’s the perfect rustic dessert to enjoy warm or cold, plain or with whipped cream or ice cream.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Tart pan (9-inch)
- Oven
- Fork
- Spatula
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rye flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
For the filling:
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (or wild blueberries)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, rye flour, baking powder, sugar, and cardamom.
- Add the softened butter and egg, kneading into a soft dough.
- Press the dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan, covering the base and sides. Prick the bottom with a fork.
- Blind bake (pre-bake) the crust for 10 minutes.
- Scatter the fresh blueberries evenly over the pre-baked crust.
- In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, sugar, vanilla, and cardamom until smooth.
- Pour the creamy filling over the blueberries and spread it gently.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is just set.
- Allow the pie to cool in the pan for at least 40 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Welcome aboard the "Eat the World" train! 🚂 This month, we're making a delicious stop in Finland, where we’re indulging in a beloved national treasure: Mustikkapiirakka, the iconic Finnish Blueberry Pie. 🥧
If you’re imagining a classic American blueberry pie, think again! Mustikkapiirakka is a delightful cross between a pie, tart, and cheesecake — truly the best of all worlds. 🍰✨
What is Mustikkapiirakka? 🤔
Mustikkapiirakka — a mouthful to pronounce but impossible to forget once you've tasted it. 💙This traditional Finnish dessert features a crumbly crust made with a mix of rye flour and all-purpose flour, topped with a luscious sour cream and blueberry filling. It’s the kind of rustic, homey dessert that feels like a warm hug from grandma — Finnish style! 🧓💕
The Secret Ingredient: Bilberries! 🌿
Traditionally, Finns use bilberries (not regular blueberries!) for their Mustikkapiirakka. 🫐Bilberries are wild forest berries native to Europe, smaller and darker than the blueberries we usually find in North America. They grow singly or in pairs, unlike blueberries that grow in clusters. Plus, bilberries have a deeper, more aromatic flavor — perfect for baking! 🌲 Can’t find bilberries? No worries! Wild or cultivated blueberries will still create a heavenly pie. Pro-tip: wild blueberries are smaller and punchier in flavor, making them the best substitute. 🍇
Grab a Bucket and Go Berry-Picking! 🍂
In Finland, berry-picking is almost a national pastime. Imagine grabbing a bucket and wandering through enchanted forests, filling it with sweet purple jewels. 🌳✨ Since a Finnish forest wasn’t an option for me 😅, Loreto and I visited our favorite local farmers market and grabbed some organic blueberries from Fresh BC Fruit — grown with love in British Columbia. 🇨🇦 Wherever you are, use the best berries you can find. Your taste buds will thank you later! 😋How to Make Mustikkapiirakka (Finnish Blueberry Pie) 🥄
Although it sounds fancy, this recipe is surprisingly easy. Here’s how you bring a piece of Finland into your kitchen:🥧 Ingredients for the Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rye flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (optional, but highly recommended!)
💡 Cardamom is widely loved in Finland and pairs beautifully with blueberries!
🥄 Ingredients for the Filling:
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (or wild blueberries)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Make the Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, sugar, and cardamom.
- Add the butter and egg, and knead gently into a soft dough.
- Press the dough into a 9-inch tart pan, covering the base and sides. Prick the bottom with a fork.
- Blind bake (pre-bake) the crust for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the Blueberries:
- Scatter the fresh blueberries evenly over the par-baked crust. 🍇
3. Prepare the Creamy Filling:
- In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, sugar, vanilla, and cardamom until smooth and aromatic.
4. Assemble and Bake:
- Carefully pour the creamy mixture over the blueberries. Spread gently with a spatula.
- Return the pie to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is just set (it will firm up as it cools).
5. Cool and Serve:
- Allow the pie to cool in the pan for at least 40 minutes (the hardest part! 🕒).
- Slice, serve, and savor every bite!
Natural Aromatherapy in the Kitchen 🌸
Who needs a fancy diffuser when you can bake this pie?As your Mustikkapiirakka bakes, your kitchen will be filled with irresistible waves of vanilla, cardamom, and buttery sugar. ✨ It’s pure joy!
The Taste Test! 🍴
One bite and it’s pure magic! ✨- The crumbly, slightly crunchy crust is the perfect base.
- The creamy, tangy filling bursts with flavor.
- The juicy blueberries explode like tiny happy fireworks in your mouth. 💥
- Slightly warm 🥰
- Chilled ❄️
- With a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream 🍦
Ooh, mustikkapiirakka! That sounds absolutely divine. The rye crust and cardamom are intriguing additions – I’m definitely going to have to try this recipe. The description makes my mouth water!