Pie crust is easy - it just takes time... time as in - time to rest in the fridge, etc. So - plan accordingly and do other things around the house/kitchen on the day you make pie crust/pie. Believe me, after spending the day making cookies with my 5 year old son - I have come to appreciate the expression "easy as pie". Because pie truly is easy compared to cookies!
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This is a great pie crust for juicy, fruity pies because it holds up to the moisture - the trick is in "waterproofing" the pie crust - I'll get to that in a minute. I have a few crust recipes, but this is the one I use most often.
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The other thing - I make my pie crust in the food processor. So fast and easy! Just don't overprocess. Actually, it is just as easy to make 2 batches of pie crust as one - seeing you have all the ingredients, equipment and measuring stuff out anyway! I make 1 batch (1 batch is enough for a double pie crust - 1 top and 1 bottom) and then right away, make a 2nd. Who doesn't love 2 pies! My pie pans are old - a bit bigger than the standard size you most often see in the stores now - so this is good if you have a bigger pie pan or want to make a deep dish pie or if you love to make Mile High Apple Pie - it is enough crust no matter what pie you are making!
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You have to go to a different post for my favorite mixed fruit pie recipe... this post is all about the crust. As I make different pies, I will try to add the recipes.
1 1/2 cups flour - give it a little stir before measuring so it is nice and fluffy
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound cold butter - cut into chunks. For people in the US - this is 1 stick of butter
or if you are in Canada and buy the big block - it is 1/4 of a block.
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 egg yolk - save the white for waterproofing
7-9 Tablespoons cold water - this amount varies depending on how big your egg yolk is!
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Beat the egg yolk& water in a little bowl and set aside. You can add 1/4 tsp of vanilla to this mixture if you want too.
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Put flour, salt and butter in food processor. Quickly pulse on/off several times until the butter is mixed in. Add sugar and quickly pulse (I'm talking about 2 seconds here!). Sometimes I will add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, but most of the time I don't.
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Pour in the egg/water mixture. Pulse on/off until the dough is formed. I can "hear" it as soon as it is done - it only takes several pulses! If the dough is too crumbly - add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough sticks together. The amount of water needed really depends on how big your egg yolk is.
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Break the dough into 2 pieces. Put each piece between 2 sheets of wax paper (you want the sheets to be bigger than your pie plate). Flatten the dough down with your hands (while it is between 2 sheets of wax paper) into a pancake. Put is in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
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After the dough has chilled - keeping it sandwiched between the 2 sheets of wax paper - roll 1 at a time out to the correct size to fit into your pie pan - which means it has to be a bit bigger than the top diameter of the pan - I flip the empty pan upside down on the crust to double check for size. It should be about 1/4" thick. Put 1 back into the fridge. Remove the top sheet of wax paper on the 2nd one and flip it into the pie pan. Remove the 2nd sheet of wax paper. There is your bottom pie crust. Now beat the egg white with a fork, pour it into the pie crust, swirl around with your fingers to coat the crust and dump the left-over egg white into the trash. Set it in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill and waterproof.
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I know that many people pre-bake their crusts and also do the waterproofing as part of the pre-baking. I don't. And I really don't think it makes a difference for this particular recipe. Hey, I'm all for time-saving tips!
*
The other thing I do when baking the pie - I start at the lower temperature and then at the end I turn the temperature up to brown the crust. I think that tradition calls for a higher temperature to begin with and then lower because a long time ago people would cook pies in their woodstoves and the fire was always hotter first. If you start with a higher temp 1st, then your have to foil the edges of your pie crust for the remainder cooking time and my oven is a powerful convection oven which just sucks the foil into the fan anyway so that isn't an option for me. So - start with the lower temperature and then switch to higher at the end (keeping a careful eye on it toward the end) to brown the crust.
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OK - so now your pie crusts are done - fill the pan with your favorite pie filling, remove the wax paper from the top pie crust and put over the pie, remove the 2nd layer of wax paper, cut your slits with a knife (if you want to use decorative cut-outs it is easier to do before you get the pie crust situated on the top of the pie!), crimp the edges with a fork and put it in the oven on a cookie sheet. About the slits - I usually just use a knife and cut inside slits toward the middle - almost as if you are cutting the pie - go back a bit and then cut a 2nd set of slits set further apart - again - following the shape a slice of pie would be. Mmmm - easy as pie!
*
Did you all get that the wax paper should NOT be anywhere in your finished pie? LOL!
*
This is a great pie crust for juicy, fruity pies because it holds up to the moisture - the trick is in "waterproofing" the pie crust - I'll get to that in a minute. I have a few crust recipes, but this is the one I use most often.
*
The other thing - I make my pie crust in the food processor. So fast and easy! Just don't overprocess. Actually, it is just as easy to make 2 batches of pie crust as one - seeing you have all the ingredients, equipment and measuring stuff out anyway! I make 1 batch (1 batch is enough for a double pie crust - 1 top and 1 bottom) and then right away, make a 2nd. Who doesn't love 2 pies! My pie pans are old - a bit bigger than the standard size you most often see in the stores now - so this is good if you have a bigger pie pan or want to make a deep dish pie or if you love to make Mile High Apple Pie - it is enough crust no matter what pie you are making!
*
You have to go to a different post for my favorite mixed fruit pie recipe... this post is all about the crust. As I make different pies, I will try to add the recipes.
1 1/2 cups flour - give it a little stir before measuring so it is nice and fluffy
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound cold butter - cut into chunks. For people in the US - this is 1 stick of butter
or if you are in Canada and buy the big block - it is 1/4 of a block.
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 egg yolk - save the white for waterproofing
7-9 Tablespoons cold water - this amount varies depending on how big your egg yolk is!
*
*
Beat the egg yolk& water in a little bowl and set aside. You can add 1/4 tsp of vanilla to this mixture if you want too.
*
Put flour, salt and butter in food processor. Quickly pulse on/off several times until the butter is mixed in. Add sugar and quickly pulse (I'm talking about 2 seconds here!). Sometimes I will add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, but most of the time I don't.
*
Pour in the egg/water mixture. Pulse on/off until the dough is formed. I can "hear" it as soon as it is done - it only takes several pulses! If the dough is too crumbly - add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough sticks together. The amount of water needed really depends on how big your egg yolk is.
*
Break the dough into 2 pieces. Put each piece between 2 sheets of wax paper (you want the sheets to be bigger than your pie plate). Flatten the dough down with your hands (while it is between 2 sheets of wax paper) into a pancake. Put is in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
*
After the dough has chilled - keeping it sandwiched between the 2 sheets of wax paper - roll 1 at a time out to the correct size to fit into your pie pan - which means it has to be a bit bigger than the top diameter of the pan - I flip the empty pan upside down on the crust to double check for size. It should be about 1/4" thick. Put 1 back into the fridge. Remove the top sheet of wax paper on the 2nd one and flip it into the pie pan. Remove the 2nd sheet of wax paper. There is your bottom pie crust. Now beat the egg white with a fork, pour it into the pie crust, swirl around with your fingers to coat the crust and dump the left-over egg white into the trash. Set it in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill and waterproof.
*
I know that many people pre-bake their crusts and also do the waterproofing as part of the pre-baking. I don't. And I really don't think it makes a difference for this particular recipe. Hey, I'm all for time-saving tips!
*
The other thing I do when baking the pie - I start at the lower temperature and then at the end I turn the temperature up to brown the crust. I think that tradition calls for a higher temperature to begin with and then lower because a long time ago people would cook pies in their woodstoves and the fire was always hotter first. If you start with a higher temp 1st, then your have to foil the edges of your pie crust for the remainder cooking time and my oven is a powerful convection oven which just sucks the foil into the fan anyway so that isn't an option for me. So - start with the lower temperature and then switch to higher at the end (keeping a careful eye on it toward the end) to brown the crust.
*
OK - so now your pie crusts are done - fill the pan with your favorite pie filling, remove the wax paper from the top pie crust and put over the pie, remove the 2nd layer of wax paper, cut your slits with a knife (if you want to use decorative cut-outs it is easier to do before you get the pie crust situated on the top of the pie!), crimp the edges with a fork and put it in the oven on a cookie sheet. About the slits - I usually just use a knife and cut inside slits toward the middle - almost as if you are cutting the pie - go back a bit and then cut a 2nd set of slits set further apart - again - following the shape a slice of pie would be. Mmmm - easy as pie!
*
Did you all get that the wax paper should NOT be anywhere in your finished pie? LOL!
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