Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream

Yesterday was "pie day" at my house.  I made this quiche and a strawberry rhubarb pie.  I thought the Maker's Mark in my liquor cabinet would pair really well with the tartness of the pie, and was pleased by the results.  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here: http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/06/strawberry-rhubarb-pie-improved/

Ingredients

For the Crust

I cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp light brown sugar

For the Filling

5 rhubarb stems, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 pint strawberries, stems removed and chopped into pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca

For the Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream or heavy cream

1 heaping tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp bourbon (I used Maker's Mark, but any moderately priced bourbon would do)

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

1. Blend the crust ingredients in a mixing bowl until just mixed. Place the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes.

2. After chilling, cut the dough into two equal pieces.  Put one of the pieces back into the fridge until step 7.

3.  Place the other piece of dough between two sheets of wax paper and roll out into an 11" circle.

4. Remove one side of wax paper, place 9" round pie dish upside down on exposed side of dough, and flip the dough and dish together so that the dough sits inside the dish.

5. Remove the second piece of wax paper and leave about 1/2" of dough around the edges. Use a fork to make a series of holes in the bottom of the dough.

6. Mix together all of the filling ingredients in a bowl and transfer into the pie dish.  Use a fork to arrange the fruits so they lie nicely inside the dish.

7. Remove the remaining dough from the fridge and roll it between two sheets of wax paper into an 11" circle.

8.  Remove one side of wax paper and make some decorative slits in the dough.  Gently flip dough and place it onto pie so the wax paper lies on top.  

9.  Remove second piece of wax paper.  Press top crust onto overhanging part of underlying crust.  Crimp the edges of crust into a decorative pattern.

10.  Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

11.  Leave the pie to chill for a couple hours until the filling has set.  I know that a fresh warm pie is pretty much irresistible, but it will really be better if you can wait for the fruit to set.  I jumped the gun and ended up having warm strawberry and rhubarb soup in the beginning.  Still delicious, but not pie.

12.  Whip together the whipped cream ingredients in a mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer.  Continue until you get soft peaks, but don't over whip.  Spoon some cream onto a slice of pie.