Pie à la mode

I have discovered a new use for duck fat. (Only about 5 pounds to go in my freezer). This was definitely the best tasting crust I've ever made. I put about 3/4 butter to 1/4 duck fat. The duck fat fried the flour to the crispiest flakiest it could be, but not even my secret taster (co-worker with uncommonly detective taste buds) knew anything was amiss. Better than pork fat, for sure. Anyway, I advise when using frozen berries, more cornstarch or flour or something. The blackberries were delicious, but soupy and, after a good long hour on several buses, I got to work wearing a good portion of the filling . Several people told me I was looking more fashionable than usual.

2 cups flour
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup duck fat
1 t. salt
1 T sugar
2 T water (about)

Mix together flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter, then duck fat. Add just enough water to make it stick together. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Roll out dough. Because it's a double crust with a fruit filling, no need to pre-bake the crust.

Filling: blackberries (thawed if using frozen), sugar to taste. Take some of the juice and put it in a jar with maybe...a tablespoon of cornstarch (guessing, but a teaspoon wasn't enough) and shake until fully blended. Add to berries.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. If the crust is browning too fast around the edges, turn the oven down and cook 30 minutes more (but check on it sooner, this is only in my oven.) When it's about 20 minutes from being done, brush cream over the top and then sprinkle sugar over the whole thing. This will give you a shiny, slightly hard, shell on the outside. Pretty.