Pies, tarts, pastries and cookies

What are the two reasons to dock a crust?

1. Permit steam to escape 2. Keep shell flat during baking procedure

How thick should dough strips be cut when producing a lattice top crust?

1/2 inch

What is the thickness of typical tart dough?

1/4 "

What is the typical blind baking time for a tart dough?

15-20 minutes

What is a fruit filling?

A fruit filling is a mixture of fruit, fruit juice, spices and sugar thickened with a starch.

What are the size differences between tart and a tartlet?

A tart is 6" or larger and a tartlet is 4" or smaller.

An average 9" tart needs how many ounces of dough to form its crust?

About 8-10 oz.

What does it mean to "bake blind"?

Baked blind describes a pie shell or tart shell that is baked unfilled, using baking weights or beans to support the crust as it bakes.

What is the typical baking time for baked tart shells?

Baked tart shells have the filling and the tart dough cooked together and typically require 45-60 minute of baking time in a 375 oven.

What form can fruit be purchased in to produce a fruit filling?

Canned, fresh or frozen

Once a tart dough is lined in the pan, it is often chilled for 15 minutes, why?

Chilling the butter reduces the chances of the crust blistering when baking.

What are the two main ingredients of ganache?

Chocolate and heavy cream

What are the three methods for producing a fruit filling?

Cooked fruit; cooked juice; and baked filling

What is the name of the process in which small holes are placed in a pie crust to permit steam to escape when blind baking?

Docking

T/F; Custard pies should be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.

False, custard pies should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2-3 days.

T/F; Mealy dough is best used to produce a lattice top crust.

False, flaky dough is best for lattice top.

T/F; The smaller the fat particles, the flakier pie dough will be.

False, larger fat particles produce flakier pie dough.

T/F; Flaky dough is best used for the bottom crust for a fruit pie.

False, mealy dough is best for fruit pie bottom

T/F; when using a fluted or straight sided tart pan both the sides and the bottom must be sprayed with cooking spray.

False, only the bottom needs to be sprayed, the sides are not sprayed.

T/F; freezing baked pies is recommended for 2-3 days.

False, they can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days.

What types of crusts can be used for pies?

Flaky dough; Mealy dough; Cookie crumbs

What are some typical uses of ganache in a bakeshop?

Glaze for cakes, inside cake layers, truffle filling, chocolate sauce, ingredient for mousse

What type of fat yields the flakiest pastry?

Lard

What makes mealy, flaky, and sweet dough's for crusts easier to roll out and work with? Why?

Mealy, flaky and sweet dough's are easier to roll out and work with if well chilled. The chilling keeps the fat firm and prevents stickiness.

How does a baker determine the doneness of a custard pie?

Shake it gently, the center should only show slight movement and insert a knife 1" from the center; it should come out clean.

What starches can be used for fruit fillings?

Starches for fruit fillings include flour, cornstarch, tapioca, packaged commercial instant or pregelatinized starch.

T/F: Butter contributes a delicious flavor to pie dough, but does not produce as flaky of a crust as other fats.

True

T/F; A garnish is always optional on a pie.

True

T/F; A pie is composed of a sweet or savory filling in a baked crust, generally made in a round, slope sided pan.

True

T/F; A tart is similar to a pie except it is made in a straight sided pan, often with fluted edges.

True

T/F; The cooked fruit method is most often used when the fruits need to be softened by cooking or are naturally rather dry.

True

T/F; The cooked juice filling method is used for juicy fruits such as berries, especially when they are canned or frozen.

True

T/F; The size of the fat particles for mealy dough should resemble cornmeal.

True

How should unfilled, baked crusts be stored?

Unfilled baked crusts can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for as long as three months.