BACKGROUND
Pie Crust
is one of the great kitchen discoveries of all time. It is amazing that combining flour,
salt, fat and water can produce a flaky, fork-tender, golden pastry. Pie crust appeared in
America long before the Stars and Stripes flew from a flagpole. The early pies had more
crust than filling because pioneer wives needed to stretch ingredients. Pies were also
made in a round, shallow pan in order to economize. When the orchards and berry patches
produced fruit, plump and juicy American pies became plentiful.
 Gradually, each American region developed
their own favorite pie. New England had pumpkin, the South had pecan, and the Pennsylvania
Dutch had custards teamed with fruit. Once, the Connecticut colony did not celebrate
Thanksgiving until the ships brought the necessary molasses for their pumpkin pies. No
wonder New Englanders always include pumpkin pie for their Thanksgiving dinner. Pies have
won their way into our culture and our sentiments. Grandmothers often use “Sweetie
Pie” as a nickname for their grandchildren. Cowboys returning from a long day in the
saddle called the chuck wagon spread the “pie box”. Some young men still refer
to their home as “the pie house” S a tribute to their mothers’ baking
skills. Men even to this day still request pie for their birthday treat instead of the
traditional cake.
FOOD PROCESSOR PASTRY
This Method
is fast and efficient, but it’s speed needs to be treated with caution. Use
1-2 second pulses rather than letting the machine run. Have all fats ice cold or frozen.
Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor; process for 10 seconds. Cut fat into
½” chunks and scatter over dry ingredients. Use pulse bursts until fat is the size
of peas. Drizzle ice cold water over top. Pulse until dough begins to clump into small
balls. If the dough adheres when squeezed, it is ready to use.
FREEZING
Baked Pie & Tart Shells: Place on cookie sheet and freeze
(don’t wrap). When frozen, wrap or place in freezer bags and return to the freezer.
To use, unwrap and heat in moderate oven (375 degrees F.) for 10 minutes. May also thaw
unwrapped at room temperature.
Unbaked Pie & Tart Shells:
Freeze dough in the pie pan. When solid, pry it out of pan and freeze. May stack
with waxed paper crumpled between crusts for easier separation. Package in freezer bags
and return to freezer. For single crust, unwrap and bake in very hot oven (450 degrees F.)
for 5 minutes. Prick crust with fork and continue baking until browned (apx. 15 minutes).
Storage: The
recommended storage time for unbaked pastry is two months. For baked pastry it is 4 to 6
months.
PIES TO FREEZE
Recommended Varieties:
Apple, peach,, blueberry, mince, strawberry, or rhubarb freeze well. Cherry
pie may be frozen only after baking.
Unbaked: Do not make
slits in the top crust. After pies are frozen, cover with a second pie plate (protect from
crushing). Wrap with moisture proof film and return to the freezer. Use within 2 months.
Baked: Cool baked pies
to room temperature. Wrap with moisture proof film and return to the freezer. Use within 4
months for highest quality.
Thawing: If frozen
unbaked, remove wrapping and make slits in top crust. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 10
minutes, cut vents in top, bake for 20 minutes longer. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until
juices bubble and crust is golden brown. If frozen baked, remove wrapping and let thaw.
Bake at 350 degrees F. until knife inserted comes out warm (apx. 15 minutes)
HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT PIE CRUST
Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry
blender or two knives (scissor-fashion) until mixture forms coarse crumbs. To avoid a
hard-tough crust, do not over handle dough.
Sprinkle ice cold water over crumb mixture a tablespoon at a time. Toss
quickly with a fork, mixing lightly. Too much water will make dough sticky and hard to
manage. Too little makes the dough crack when rolling out.
Stop mixing when mixture still looks crumbly but is moist enough to hold
together under slight pressure. Gently gather dough together and shape into a ball. To
avoid tough crust, do not over handle dough.
Place ball on a lightly floured surface. Flatten and roll out from
center to edge (in all four directions) using light, even strokes. Sprinkle with flour
(top & bottom) to keep dough free from work surface.
If bits of dough gather on the rolling pin, remove immediately so they
don’t tear holes in dough when rolling. Re-flour rolling pin and continue shaping.
To transfer the shaped pastry dough to the pie plate, wrap dough loosely
around a rolling pin. Place over pie plate and unroll. May also fold dough in half and
place gently over pie plate. Unfold and fit loosely in plate.
Ease pastry into bottom and side of pie plate. To avoid shrinkage, make
sure not to stretch or pull dough. Pat dough to ease out air pockets underneath.
Trim pastry even with pie plate rim with sharp knife; add filling. Top
crust should extend ½” over bottom and be perforated for steam to escape; crimp
edges. To repair tears, moisten edges with a little water and press firmly together.
For single crust pie, use fork to generously prick bottom and side of
crust. This prevents crust from puffing during baking. May also bake the crust between two
pie pans without pricking (second pan holds crust in place).
PIE CRUST CLINIC
Sealing Crusts: Dab
water or milk on edge of bottom crust. Add filling; place top crust (½ inch overlap) on
top and flute edge together.
Cracked Crust: To
avoid this problem, make sure the top crust is perforated enough to let steam escape. |
Brittle Crust: The pastry was either rolled too thin or too much shortening was used.
Soft or Doughy Crust:
Used too much water, rolled too thick or baked in too slow an oven.
Shrunken Crust: This
is caused by either stretching dough before placing in pan or not baking in hot enough
oven.
Bottom Crust Uncooked:
To avoid, must place on lower rack of oven. The filling may be too watery or pie
was baked in too slow an oven.
Meringue: To avoid
small drops of liquid from forming on the top crust, make sure that the meringue touches
the crust at all points. Also, use the correct proportions of sugar to egg white (2
tablespoons sugar/egg white). Bake in slow oven (300 degrees F.) for 20 minutes.
Soaked Crusts: Fruit S
brush lower crust with melted butter before filling. Bake in hot oven (450 degrees F.) for
the first fifteen minutes and use a thicker filling. Custard S Slightly reduce water,
chill pastry for an hour before adding the filling and bake in hot oven (450 degrees F.)
for the first 10 minutes of baking.
Filling Overflows:
Oven too hot, lack of holes in top crust; edges not sealed, or too much filling.
Cream Pies Crack: Too
much starch in filling, filling is tough (lacks fat) or uses too many eggs.
Egg White: For a
glistening, sugary crust, brush slightly beaten egg white on top crust before baking;
sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Evaporated Milk: For a
good crust, brush top crust before baking with evaporated milk; sprinkle with granulated
sugar.
Butter, Margarine or Shortening:
For browning and flavor, melt fat and brush on top crust before baking.
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Recipes Galore
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