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CALIFORNIA CRUST




Source of Recipe


California Cafe, Carlisle, PA


List of Ingredients




1 cup all purpose unbleached flour
6 tablespoons butter, not rock hard, but not gooey soft either
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Recipe



Preheat your oven halfway between 350F. and 375F. (yes, I know, it's 362.5F.)

Mix everything in a big bowl with your warm hands, or in a stand mixer at the lowest speed.
If the crust refuses to make a nice dough ball, add a little extra flake of butter or two.

Press the crust by hand in a 10" glass plate.

Prick the crust 10 times with a fork, to prevent blistering during baking.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. You want some browning on the edge of the crust, but little or no browning in the middle. Don't worry if your edges shrink a bit.

Cool the baked crust completely.

STRAWBERRY FILLING

4 [generous] cups hulled, rinsed and halved strawberries
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/3 cup cold water
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Juice of a small lemon
2 tablespoons butter
Two drops or so red food coloring

In the food processor, purée between one third and one quarter of your berries with the food coloring. Keep the rest of the berries refrigerated.

In a saucepan, mix carefully the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and cold water until smooth. Add the strawberry purée.

Bring the mixture to a real boil, while stirring constantly.

Remove from fire and add lemon juice and butter.

Cool your strawberry pudding (you may use an ice bath).

Gently fold the cool pudding and the reserved berries together and smooth into the cool crust. Try to keep most of the berries with the cut side down.

Chill well, but not overnight.


BLUEBERRY FILLING

4 [generous] cups rinsed blueberries
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup hot water
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Juice of a small lemon
1 tablespoon butter

In a saucepan, mix carefully the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and cold water until smooth. Add half a cup blueberries, and reserve the rest of the berries in the refrigerator.

Add the hot water to the mixture and bring it to a real boil, while stirring constantly, pressing the berries to crush them.

Remove from fire and add lemon juice and butter.

Cool your blueberry pudding (you may use an ice bath).

Gently fold the cool pudding and the reserved berries together and smooth into the cool crust.

Chill well, but not overnight.