Pie time.... It is Easy to Make a Yummy Homemade GF Pie!

Rhubarb is plentiful right now so it was a good choice for my first adapted gluten free pie recipe.  This is an easy pie even though it has several steps.   It is different from the usual rhubarb pie because the texture is a bit closer to a crumb cake, no wet, slimy texture and no sour flavor.  I think this new version tastes almost as good as it did when I made it with wheat flour.  This GF crust will work for any pie you wish and the GF crumb topping is great for any crumb pie topper.  I store any leftover crumb mixture in a sealed container in the fridge; keeps a few weeks.  What I am giving you is my mixture of three recipes with some small modifications over time to create my first GF pie recipe.  I know it has several steps but each one is easy and you can use these crust and crumb recipes for other pies.  If you like your pie kinda sweet; add an extra 1/4 cup sugar to the rhubarb mixture. Bake and enjoy!

Angie’s GF Rhubarb Crumb Pie

Crust:

1 c plus 2 tbsp brown rice flour mix (at bottom of recipe)

2 tbsp sweet rice flour

1 Tbps. granulated sugar

½ tsp xanthan gum

¼ tsp salt

6 Tbps. cold butter cut into 6 chunks

1 lg egg

2 tsp fresh orange or lemon juice

Spray 9 inch metal pie pan with cooking spray, dust with white rice flour.

Mix dry ingredients in bowl of stand electric mixer.  Add butter and mix until crumbly and resembling coarse meal.  Add egg and juice.  Mix until it comes together into big chunks.  Shape into a ball with your hands. Put it on a crust sized piece of wax paper (14 x 14 inches more or less), flatten the crust ball some; put on top of it another piece of wax paper and chill it all in your fridge 15-20 minutes while you chop the rhubarb into ½ inch chunks. 

Filling: 

4-5 cups cut up fresh rhubarb – place in medium bowl

Mix with these four things

2/3 - 1 c sugar (I use 2/3 cup but use more if you like it sweet)

¼ c brown rice flour mix (see below recipe)

½ tsp nutmeg, I use a bit less than this but more than 1/4 tsp.

A good sprinkle of cinnamon

Crust Time:  Roll out  the slightly chilled pie crust between the two sheets of wax paper, try to get the thickness even, no thick middle! Peel off one side of paper and place in pie pan, centered.  Remove other slice of wax paper.  Press the crust in place and crimp all around the edge.  Fill with dry rhubarb mix.  Pour this egg mixture evenly over the rhubarb:  3 eggs beaten lightly with 1/3 c milk (not skim), and ¼ tsp almond extract.

Crumb topping

Put all four ingredients in the same mixing bowl you made the bottom crust in (no need to wash it out) and mix well with mixer paddle until crumbs form. 

¾ c brown rice flour mix

½ c sugar

½ tsp xanthan gum

1/3 c cold butter cut into six chunks

Top it: Sprinkle the top of the pie with the crumb mix; use as much as you like.  I like about 2/3 of the mixture.  Up to your personal taste… It sinks into the rhubarb and wet mixture to create an almost cake like texture and the crumb crust adds lots of sweetness and eye appeal.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 55-60 minutes until bubbly and the crust is light brown.  Cool at least 2 to 4 hours before serving at room temperature.

Brown Rice Flour Mix
2 c brown rice flour

2/3 c potato starch

1/3 c tapioca flour

Notes:  You can substitute any fruit filling for the rhubarb and just sprinkle the crumb topping over it before baking until your pie is bubbling and lightly browned.  Now it's your turn to make a GF pie and listen to the complements from your family as they fight over the last slice!