Mucky Mouth Pie (Traditional Wimberry Pie)

"One slice, one smile, and one very purple tongue."

Serves: 8
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 45–50 minutes

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 320g plain flour
• 160g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water
• Pinch of fine sea salt

For the filling

• 600g fresh wimberries (bilberries)
  (or cultivated blueberries if unavailable)
• 120g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

To finish

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

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Method

Prepare the pastry

Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir in the sugar and salt.

Mix in the egg yolk before gradually adding enough cold water to bring the pastry together.

Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Make the filling

In a large bowl combine:

• wimberries
• caster sugar
• cornflour
• lemon juice
• vanilla

Mix gently so the berries remain mostly whole.

Leave for 10 minutes while the pastry rests.

Assemble

Preheat the oven to 190°C Fan (210°C conventional).

Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and line a 23cm pie dish.

Pour in the berry mixture.

Roll out the remaining pastry and place over the top.

Seal the edges and crimp decoratively.

Cut a small steam hole in the centre or arrange the top layer in lattice. 

Brush with beaten egg.

Sprinkle generously with demerara sugar.

Bake

Bake for 45–50 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden and the juices bubble through the centre.

If the edges brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.

Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serve With

• Thick double cream
• Vanilla ice cream
• Proper custard
• Clotted cream
• Crème fraîche

The Lonely Duck Twist

If wild bilberries aren't available, replace one-third of the blueberries with blackberries for a richer woodland flavour and stir 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest into the filling to brighten the fruit.

Baker's Notes

Traditionally, children across the Pennines would spend summer afternoons collecting wild wimberries from the moors, often returning home with purple fingers, stained lips, and "mucky mouths" after eating more berries than they managed to gather.

The berries are much smaller than cultivated blueberries but have an intensely rich flavour and a beautifully deep purple juice that gives this pie its unmistakable colour.

If using cultivated blueberries, reduce the sugar slightly if they're particularly sweet, and don't be tempted to overcook the pie—the filling will continue to thicken as it cools.

Historical Note

Long before supermarkets stocked berries all year round, late summer meant families across northern England took to the moors with buckets and baskets in search of wild wimberries. The annual harvest became a cherished tradition, with the fruit transformed into pies, tarts, jams, and puddings. The affectionate name "Mucky Mouth Pie" comes from the tell-tale purple stains left on eager berry pickers after sampling the fruits straight from the bush—a badge of honour that signalled a successful day on the hills.

I actually think this recipe would be stronger in The Lonely Duck Cookbook than a standard blueberry pie because it tells a story. It captures a regional tradition, explains the unusual name, and introduces readers to a piece of Britain's culinary heritage that many have never encountered—all of which fits perfectly with your aim of reviving lost seasonal classics with a modern twist.