Directions
<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Begin by making the pastry. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining (these butter pieces create flaky layers in your crust).</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>Gradually add the ice-cold water, stirring with a fork until the dough just begins to come together – you might not need all the water. The cold ingredients and minimal handling prevent gluten development, ensuring a tender crust.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Gently gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, which helps prevent shrinkage during baking.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). On a lightly floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry to about 3mm thickness and use it to line your pie dish, leaving a slight overhang. Reserve the remaining dough for the decorative lattice top.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes until the base is just starting to color. This pre-baking ensures a crisp bottom crust that won't get soggy from the custard.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>While the crust is cooling slightly, prepare your custard. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale. Add the cream, milk, vanilla seeds, salt, and flour, whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to ensure a silky-smooth custard without any egg lumps.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>Gently wash and dry your blueberries, then toss with the lemon zest. Scatter about two-thirds of the blueberries over the partially baked pastry case, then carefully pour the custard mixture over them. The berries will float slightly – this is normal and creates a beautiful distribution in the final pie.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into strips for a lattice top. Arrange them in a criss-cross pattern over the custard, pressing the ends to seal with the crust edge. Trim any excess pastry and crimp the edges decoratively. Brush the lattice with beaten egg for a golden finish.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Scatter the remaining blueberries between the lattice gaps, gently pressing them into the custard. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (340°F) and bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden and the custard is set but still has a slight wobble in the center, like a just-set panna cotta.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 2 hours before serving – patience is crucial here! The custard needs this time to fully set, allowing clean slices. For the best flavor and texture, serve at room temperature or slightly chilled with a light dusting of icing sugar if desired.</li></ol>