We love that Achatz Michigan Four Berry Pie that you can get here locally in the metro Detroit area. For Thanksgiving as well as this past Valentine's day, I have worked out my best copy cat version of this delicious combination of cherries, raspberries, strawberries(*) and blueberries.
(*)I have yet to try the exact berry combination that Achatz uses (Michigan tart cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries) but I've done this twice with sweet cherry/rasp/blue and sweet cherry/rasp/blue/strawberries -- try any berry you like and just keep the quantities the same. This won't disappoint! Next time I will try to remember blackberries, not strawberries! Maybe I can add both and top Achatz by having a Michigan 5-Berry Pie.. especially if I could source them all from Michigan (not happening here in the winter time though!)
First, I use my favorite pie crust recipe (because it's easy and delicious) - Fool Proof Pie Crust Recipe. This makes a double pie crust, so just save the other crust for another pie later by popping the extra crust disc in the freezer, then put in the fridge for a day or so before you plan to roll it out. Also, feel free to use a store-bought pie crust - talk about easy!
Next, I use my favorite streusel topping - Mrs. Kostyra's Streusel recipe from Martha Stewart which goes great with a mixed berry tart or pie.
1 cup flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into tiny squares
Mix the streusel ingredients and break up the butter using your hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly and when you squeeze it it kind of keeps shape.
Finally, we have the Cherry Berry Filling -
1 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup tapioca
pinch of salt
2 cups or 1 package of frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries (or blackberries or more of the previously mentioned berries)
1 teaspoon flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out your pie crust and fold over to carefully place into your pie tin and pat it in and trim edges, crimp edges, however you like your pies to look. I used a fork this time on the edges and I saved extra dough to cut out hearts for the Valentine's day theme. Other times I have just folded the extra dough over to make a thick rustic edge which is delicious.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon flour and 1 teaspoon sugar in the crust shell and then tap out carefully.
Mix 1 cup sugar and tapioca and pinch of salt together in one bowl.
Rinse/mix all the cherries and berries together and sprinkle with the sugar tapioca mix and carefully stir to combine.
Pour the cherry berry mix into the prepared pie crust and then sprinkle with the streusel topping.
If using extra pie crust scrapes for decorations, roll out into hearts/etc and place on top of the streusel.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees with a square of foil placed loosely on top for 30 minutes. Check throughout baking time to make sure it is not browning too quickly. If pie filling is not bubbling on edges and topping isn't browned enough, remove foil for an additional 10-15 minutes baking time if needed, checking frequently so that the topping doesn't get overly browned.
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