Emily and Melissa Elsen's Plumble Pie



Ingredients

All-butter Crust (Recipe below)
2 cups Oat Crumble (Recipe below)
2 lbs. plums, sliced (4 to 5 cups)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tbsp. potato starch
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
2 dashes Old Fashion bitters


All-butter Crust
Makes 1 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pie


1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
1½ tsp. granulated sugar
¼ lb. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup cold water
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
½ cup ice


Oat Crumble Topping
2 cups


2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup rolled oats
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, at room temperature



Preparation

• Divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces, depending on the size of bowls being used. Roll each piece into a disc 2 to 3 inches larger than the oven-safe bowl. Grease the bowls well and fit the dough inside; crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Position the oven racks in the bottom and center positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Combine the plums, lemon juice, granulated and brown sugars, potato starch, allspice, ginger, cardamom and bitters in a large bowl and mix well.
• Place the bowls on the rimmed baking sheet and distribute the plum filling evenly among them. Top with the oat crumble. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is set and beginning to brown. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees, move the pies to the center oven rack, and continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling throughout, 30 to 35 minutes longer.
• Allow the bowls to cool completely on a wire rack, 1 to 2 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
• The pie will keep refrigerated 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.

For All-butter Crust:

• Stir the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and coat with the flour mixture using a bench scraper or spatula. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to overblend).
• Combine the water, cider vinegar and ice in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and mix and cut it in with a bench scraper or spatula until it is fully incorporated. Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, using the bench scraper or your hand (or both) to mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining. Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of the ice water mixture, if necessary, to combine. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to give the crust time to mellow.

For Oat Crumble Topping:

• Stir together all the ingredients except the butter in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the butter pieces and toss to coat. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is chunky but not homogenous.
• Chill for at least 15 minutes before using.