Pies and Tarts

Decorating the Edge

A piecrust should have a fluted edge. Press the dough gently with your thumb and index fingers to make a V or rope shape. Make ridges with the tines of a fork.

Fruit Pies

Whole or sliced fruit is combined with sugar and a starch thickener. - Common fruit pie thickeners include flour, corn starch, and tapioca starch.

Make a Turnover

roll out the dough and cut it into squares or circles. Add the filling and brush a little water along the edge of the dough. fold the dough over and press the edges together with the tines of a fork. Put one or two slits in the top.

Pastry Dough Ingredients

- A basic pastry dough relies on the interactions of 4 ingredients - flour, water, fat, and salt. - Flour and water form the structure. - Fat has tenderizing qualities. - Ice-cold water helps keep the fat from melting during mixing, to ensure a flaky texture. - Fat also adds flavor, which is enhanced by the salt. - Because vegetable shortening and lard are pure fat, they make the flakiest crust.

Pies

- A pie is any dish consisting of a crust with a filing.

Baking Pies and Tarts

- Baking times and temperatures vary among recipes. - Pie shells are usually baked at 425 or 450 for about 20 minutes. - Filled pies are baked similarly to pie shells for the first 10 minutes, then at a drop temperature, around 350, to cook the filling. - If you suspect the filling might bubble over, put a shallow pan on the oven rack below the pie. Don't cover the rack with foil because it prevents hot air from circulating evenly around the pan. - To keep crusts flaky, add the filling just before baking or bake the shell blind and "moisture-proof" with a light egg wash, then fill and continue baking. - Color is the best indication of doneness in shells and two-crust pies. They should be golden brown and slightly blisterd. If the edge browns too quickly, cover it with strips of aluminum foil.

Savory Pies

- Contains cooked meat , poultry, seafood, or vegetables in a thickened sauce. - Usually served as a main course.

One-Crust Pie

- For some one-crust pies, the crust and filling are baked together. - For others, the crust is baked empty, or blind, and a prepared filling is added later. - A bottom crust baked before filling is called a pie shell. To make a one-crust pie: 1) Let the bottom dough rest in the pie pan for a few minutes. 2) Using scissors or a sharp knife, trim the dough 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pan. 3) Tuck the overhanging dough under to form a double thick edge. 4) Flute the edge. 5) Bake blind or fill as directed.

Rolling the Pastry Dough

- Piecrust can be rolled on any clean, washable surface. a) Sprinkle the work surface and rolling pin with flour. b) Press the ball of dough to flatten slightly. Gently roll from the center out in all directions shape. Roll the dough evenly to a thickness of about ⅛ inch and a diameter 2 inches larger than the pie pan. Flour the rolling pin and surface only as needed to keep the dough from sticking. c) Brush any excess flour off the dough. Place the pie pan nearby. To transfer the dough there are 2 methods. One is to fold the dough in half or quarters. Lift it into the pan and gently unfold. d) Carefully center the dough in the pan. push it gently onto the bottom and sides. Avoid stretching the dough, which increases its tendency to shrink. - Patch or reshape the dough if it cracks or loses its shape by cuttings off a piece of the size needed from an area where you have extra dough. With cold water, slightly moisten the area to be repaired. Place the patch on the dough and press firmly.

Preparing the Pastry Dough

- Preparing piecrust is similar to preparing biscuits. - Cut the fat into the flour using a pastry bender or two knives until the mixture resembles small peas. - Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition. - Form a ball of dough that is neither crumbly or sticky. - You may need less water in humid weather. - Piecrust dough should be mixed and handles as little as possible to keep particles of fat separated by moistened flour. - If handled too much, the fat particles melt from the heat of your hand. - Overworking the dough also over develops the gluten, changing the texture from feather to leathery.

Two-Crust Pie

- To make a two-crust pie, divide the dough into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger portion and fit it into the pan. Then: 1) With scissors or a sharp knife, trim the bottom dough even with the edge of the pan. 2) Roll out the second ball of dough for the top crust. cover to keep it from drying out. 3) Prepare the filling and pour it over the bottom dough. 4) Place the top dough over the filled pie. 5) trim the top dough to about 1/2 inch larger than the pie pan. 6) Slightly moistened the edge of the bottom dough. Tuck the overhanging top dough under the edge of the dough. press both together to form a seal to keep in the juices. flute the edges. 7) With a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top dough near the center to allow steam to escape during baking. - To add appeal, you can glaze the top dough before baking by brushing with milk and a light sprinkle of sugar or with beaten egg mixed with water. - Cut shapes with a cookie cutter from rolled-out dough and place them on the top crust if you want.

Cream Pies

-The "cream" is closer to a pudding, and consists of eggs, milk, corn starch, and flavoring. - The cream mixture is cooked until thickened, then cooled and poured into a baked, cooled crust.

Lattice Crust

A lattice crust makes an eye-catching woven top on a two crust pie, especially one with a colored filling. - As shown in figure 47-5, the steps for making a lattice crust are as follows: a) Lay half of the strips across the pie. b) Fold back alternating strips so folds are near pie edge. Add new strips in Opposite direction close to folds. c) unfold the folded strips. d) Fold back the other alternating strips as far as they will go. Add a new strip in the opposite direction. e) Unfold the alternating strips. f) Continue this pattern until all strips are woven.

- To keep a pie shell from puffing up when baking, use a fork to poke small holes all over the dough before putting it in the oven. This technique is called ________________.

Docking

Whipped Cream

Start with clean, cold bowl. You can only whip heavy or whipping cream. The others do not have a high enough fat content. Pour the cream into the bowl. Whip until it forms soft peaks. Add flavorings like sugar and vanilla. Whip until it forms stiff peaks. It's that easy!

Custard Pies

These pies start with uncooked custard, which is baked with the crust. - Examples include pumpkin and pecan pies.

Turnover

a square or circle of pastry dough folded over a sweet or savory filling. - Turnovers may be baked or deep-fried.

Crumb Crusts

made of crushed crackers or cookies, is a sweeter, simpler alternative to pastry dough for a one crust pie.