Mojito Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Yes, yet another version of a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

I think that if there is a flavour combo to pair with strawberries and rhubarb, I’m covering them all.  From the very first year of this blog till today, I have four different Strawberry Rhubarb Pies for you all to choose from.  And they are all hits!  Whether it’s for company, to treat family who request a SRP (yes, let’s just give this pie its own acronym!) or for Jim who consistently proves that this is his favourite pie, these pies get baked from March til the very end of rhubarb season, around June! So you guys have plenty of options!

And because Pi(e) Day is fast approaching, I was totally inspired to come up with a new way to bake up the rhubarb in the fridge.  I had mint, and there were some limes in the crisper.  Suddenly I had visions of a Cuban getaway and drinking mojitos on the beach.  So this would be the flavour this time around.  I already love using mint with rhubarb.  And I use lime with strawberries all the time, so this combo is a no-brainer.

What Goes Into a Mojito?

The classic Mojito we know these days got its start hundreds of years ago.  Was it Sir Francis Drake who popularized the combo of an alcoholized cane syrup mixed with lime and spearmint to help ward off scurvy on his ship?  Was it the African slaves working the sugar cane fields who gave it it’s name coming from Spanish words for a little wet ‘mojadito’ and ‘mojo’ a Cuban seasoning using lime? No matter the truth about the history, we all love a crisp fresh Mojito on a hot summer’s day.  It is a combo of muddled sugar and lime, spearmint leaves and white rum, with ice cubes and soda to finish it off.  So popular is this simple but refreshing drink, that there is even a National Mojito Day!

So How To ‘Mojito’ a Pie?

You will need mint leaves (spearmint if at all possible) and fresh limes.  And you will want to have some white rum on hand.  And added bonus, if you have mint or lime bitters in your cocktail or pantry cupboard, this is a great time to pull them out.  While bringing out the mint and lime flavours, bitters will not overpower the final result, trust me.  All of these ingredients will be added to the sugar and thickeners before tossing the cut up fruit in the sugar mixture.  This begins the process of macerating the fruit, releasing the juices before heading to the oven.  Yes, you can omit the rum and the bitters from the filling, and the pie will still taste great! If you choose to do so, reduce the flour in the filling by 1 tbsp.

Pie Basics

You can use my The Perfect Pie Crust recipe as is, or you can turn it gluten free by replacing the flour with a Cup for Cup flour blend, like this one.

Have the pastry made ahead of time, even frozen in disks, and allow it them thaw in the fridge overnight.  Let it warm up for a few minutes on the counter before thinking of rolling it out.  Rolling between two sheets of parchment paper may assist if you decide to use a gluten free version.  If at any time you find the pastry warming up and the butter becoming too sticky, return the pastry to the fridge.  Make sure the surface and the rolling pin are regularly floured to keep them from gripping the pastry.

Make sure you allow the pastry to slide down the sides of the pie plate. If you stretch it at all, so that it will go up and over the edge, this will actually cause it to shrink when it is baking, and this will distort the pie, or even cause the fluted edge to pull down into the pie itself.

If making any type of cutout or lattice, lay them out onto a parchment lined baking sheet so that they can be easily transferred to the fridge and chilled for a few minutes before using them to decorate the top of the pie.  They shouldn’t be hard when you handle them, but they shouldn’t be soft either.

Once the pie is fully filled and decorated, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15 minutes.  The colder everything is before it hits the heat of the oven, the better.  The heat will cause the butter to melt quickly and create steam which will cause the flakes in the finished pastry.  If the pastry is at room temperature when it goes into the oven, it will actually melt and shrink, putting all your hard work to shame.

The filling is easy to create, and the pie deserves time to set and chill before you cut into it.  Serve it with vanilla ice cream, and a mojito on the side, and it will feel like summer, even if it is only the middle of March!

If you want to make it a Cuban evening, why not make my Cubano Sliders, Tampa Style or my Cuban Mojo Chicken Legs for the main event, and finish off with this stellar pie!

Love Jen

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Mojito Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

For when you want your Strawberry Rhubarb Pie to feel like summer and a chilled Mojito cocktail! Lime, mint and a hint of rum flavour the filling. Just add vanilla ice cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Cuban

Keyword lime, mint, mojito, pie, strawberry rhubarb

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 1 hour

Resting Time 4 hours

Servings 17 slices

Ingredients

• 1 double crust Pie Pastry recipe see Notes for the link
• 3 cups strawberries hulled and chopped
• 3 cups rhubarb chopped. If the stalk is large in diameter split it lengthwise and then chop
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• zest from 2 limes
• 3 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp white rum optional
• 5 generous dashes of mint or lime bitters optional
• 2 tbsp ground almonds
• egg wash 1 egg beaten with a little water
• 1 tbsp raw or demerara sugar

Instructions

1. Have pie pastry prepared, two disks, with one slightly larger than the other one in the fridge.
2. Bring the larger disk to room temperature and roll out on a well floured surface to fit a 9 inch or slightly larger pie plate.
3. Roll out the pastry onto a well floured rolling pin and transfer to the pie place, unrolling it to fit and gently hang over. Ease it into the plate. Trim the edges to a 1inch border along the edges. Return to the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
4. When ready to fill the pie, take the pie plate out of the fridge. Also remove the smaller disk of pastry.
5. Preheat the oven to 425F. Place one rack in the bottom third of the oven, and the other in the middle.
6. Combine the strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl.
7. Combine the sugar, mint and lime zest in a medium bowl and muddle it all together, pressing the sugar into the mint and zest, so that the natural oils are released and flavour the sugar.
8. Add in the arrowroot starch and flour. Stir to combine well.
9. Pour this over the fruit and stir to combine well. Add the rum and 5 or so dashes of rhubarb bitters. Let everything sit for 10 minutes or so to allow the fruit to start macerating.
10. Spread the ground almonds evenly over the bottom of the pie crust.
11. Add the fruit over the almonds as well as any remaining sugar and juices. Spread out evenly. Place this in the fridge while you work on the upper crust.
12. Take the smaller disk of pastry and roll out. Prepare a lattice or use cookie cutters to make shapes to cover your pie. Or you can just make another circle to fit over the pie. Bring the pie out of the fridge and begin decorating. Press the edges together and fold under and then crimp or flute. If using a full pastry top, cut vent holes to allow the steam to escape.
13. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
14. When ready to bake, place the pie on a baking sheet and brush the entire top with the egg wash. Then sprinkle the top with the finishing sugar.
15. Bake in the lower third for 30 minutes.
16. Reduce the temperature to 375F and move the baking sheet and pie to the middle rack. Continue baking for another 30 minutes or so, until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown. (if you find that the edges are getting browned before the pie is done, place a pie guard or tinfoil over the edged and continue baking)
17. Let the pie cool at least 4 hours to set the filling and juices.

Recipe Notes

I find it best with juicy fruit pies to either bake it first thing in the morning or even the day before serving. You want the juices to set properly.
Here is my Perfect Pie Crust recipe

If you wish to omit the rum or bitters, the pie will still be great. Just reduce the flour in the filling by 1 tbsp.