BLACKBERRY SILK PIE

(from Ken Haedrich)

​one 9” pie shell, par baked until golden, then cooled (see the recipe index at https://www.nomoremrnicepie.com/recipes)
Note- this pie is very good paired with a classic pie pastry or with a cornmeal pie crust. (See my Sweet Cherry and Rhubarb recipe in the index.) You will only need a single crust unless you want to prepare a double crust and wrap and freeze half for a future bake.

For the filling-
2 cups fresh blackberries
3 eggs, room temperature
1½ cups heavy cream, brought to room temperature 20 minutes before using
¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

​For the garnish-
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Fresh blackberries

To par-bake the pie shell, heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9” pie plate (not deep dish) with your favorite pie crust and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until ready to bake.  Prick the pie pastry all over with a fork to prevent the crust from puffing up while baking. Line the pie crust with a sheet of parchment paper of a square of aluminum foil that extends over the edges of the pie plate. Fill the pie shell with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the shell on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment/foil and weights. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F. Bake the shell for an additional 15 to 20 minutes longer, until golden and no longer raw. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.
 
Set the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
 
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, puree the blackberries. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer and strain to remove the seeds.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and the strained blackberry puree. Mix until well combined. Place the par-baked pie shell on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully cover the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum to prevent over browning. (I drape the foil strips rather than tuck them under the edges.)Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees F and bake an additional 30-35 minutes, just until the edges are firm and the center of the pie jiggles slightly. Be careful not to over bake; the filling will continue to firm up as it cools. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh blackberries. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.